The Western Nebraska Community College and Luna Community College baseball teams combined for 54 runs in two games as the two teams split an Empire Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Cleveland Field.
The first game saw Luna score five times in three innings and then held WNCC in the final frame to claim the 16-11 win.
The second game saw the Cougars trail 11-5 early and then came back as Payton Denny delivered an 8th-inning 2-run home run to give the Cougars the lead and then Trevor Beutner shut down the Luna bats for the 14-13 win.
"The second game we just came together as a group and had really strong hits," Denny said. "Every time we needed a hit, I felt we just knew we were gonna get the hit. We knew we were gonna come through in the clutch moment, and if we didn't, we knew the guy behind us was gonna back us up."
The Cougars had just seven hits in the second game, but had five extra base hits, including a grand slam by Will Harbison and the go-ahead home run by Denny. Denny said they never gave up when they were down and kept battling.
"Our focus was just compete. We took two from them (Friday), so we knew we were able to take another one today," he said. "The first one was rough, so coming back and getting the second one was huge. We knew that we got the guys to win and we just knew we were gonna win."
Denny said that home run that he got in the eight-inning felt good, especially since he was 0-fer in the game.
"That's the best I've ever felt and the coolest thing I've ever done on a baseball field," Denny of Chandler, Arizona, said. "It just feels better for the guys and that's why we do it. We play for each other. Getting to touch home plate and then going to the dugout just feels great."
That second game saw the Cougars fall behind 11-2 through 4 ½ innings. WNCC came back to score five times in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 12-11 lead.
The fifth saw the Cougars load the bases on free passes. WNCC got the first run on a passed ball. The Cougars loaded the bases again and Harbison smashed a grand slam to make it 11-7.
WNCC added another five runs in the sixth as three straight walks loaded the bases. The first run came in on an error and then Catcher Gladysh doubled in two more to make it 11-10. Hart followed with a single that scored two for the 12-11 lead.
Luna came back with two solo home runs to retake the lead at 13-12 in the seventh. WNCC failed to score in the seventh but retook the lead in the eighth when Harbison earned a 2-out walk followed by Denny launching a 2-run home run for the 14-13 lead.
WNCC finished with just seven hits, led by Harbison with two hits including a triple and home run with four RBIs and three runs scored.
Trevor Beutner got the win, tossing the final two innings in allowing two hits, walking one and striking out two.
The first game saw WNCC get behind after Luna scored five times in the third, fifth, and sixth. WNCC trailed 11-3 early, but scored five in the fifth to make it an 11-8 game. The big hit was a Hart 3-run home run followed by Austin Cooper getting a 2-run home run.
The Cougars trailed 16-8 entering the final inning and plated three runs including a double by Hart, and a 2-run home run from Cooper.
WNCC finished with 10 hits with Hart finishing with three hits with four RBIs, three runs scored, and a home run and two doubles. Cooper and Burns each had two hits. Cooper had two home runs with five RBIs and two runs scored, while Burns had a double.
WNCC, moves to 11-20 on the season and 3-1 in the conference. The Cougars will be back in action this weekend when they travel to Trinidad State College for a 4-game series.
Game 1
Luna 005 155 0 – 16 12 0
WNCC 000 350 3 – 11 10 4
LP – Payton Denny.
2B – Harrison Hart 2, Garrison Burns, Jase Satterfield.
HR – Austin Cooper 2, Harrison Hart.
Game 2
Luna 110 450 200 – 13 16 3
WNCC 100 155 02x – 14 7 1
WP – Trevor Beutner.
2B – Catcher Gladysh, Jude Russell.
3B – Will Harbison.
HR – Payton Denny, Will Harbison.