New Saturday Start Time: 11 a.m.

Wildcats Stumble at Home

RAYNE RAVEN AT FIRST

It was a day of ‘almost’ for the Western Nevada College baseball team. The Wildcats dropped a key doubleheader to Salt Lake Community College Friday, 7-5 and 4-1, on the first day of a four-game series. It marked the first regular season home losses for WNC since April 2011.

In addition, the Wildcats handed off the top spot in the Scenic West Athletic Conference to the Bruins, who now sit at 14-2 in conference, ahead of WNC at 14-4. The Willdcats have a chance Saturday to take back first place in a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. at John L. Harvey Field in Carson City.

In the opener, Anthony Consiglio unexpectedly started on the mound for WNC in a last minute change after Andrew Woeck injured his hand during warm-ups. Consiglio worked 6 2/3 innings before giving way to Tyler Spencer, who took the loss.

Salt Lake scored one run in the first inning, but the Wildcats moved ahead 2-1 in the second inning with a two-RBI grounder by centerfielder Bobby Pappin, scoring Zack Hendrix and Derrick Pitts. WNC added another run in the fifth inning off a hit by third baseman AJ Hernandez.

In the sixth inning, The Wildcats pulled ahead 5-3 when Pappin scored on an RBI single by AJ Hernandez and a Bruin error. Soon afterward, Hernandez scored to widen the lead. But the Bruins answered with four runs on four hits in the seventh inning to pull ahead. Aaron Robbs got the win for Salt Lake.

In the nightcap, the Wildcats loaded the bases in the sixth, eighth and ninth innings, but could not score against the solid pitching of Salt Lake’s Rhett Parkinson and Dane Fuller.

WNC never led, scoring its only run in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1. Taylor Smart walked and Pitts grounded to left field, driving Smart to second. Hendrix then scored Smart on an RBI single.

Salt Lake scored four runs on nine hits while WNC managed only three hits against the solid Salt Lake fielding.

Woeck started game two and pitched six innings to take the loss, before giving way to reliever Matt Robertson.

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• Wildcats Baseball

Photo Gallery

Photos (Click to Enlarge)
AJ HERNANDEZ	AJ HERNANDEZ	ANTHONY CONSIGLIO
ANTHONY CONSIGLIO	FIRST PITCH BY ASSEMBLYMAN PETER LIVERMORE	BOBBY GAZZOLA
BOBBIN PAPPIN	CHRIS WOOLLEY	DERRICK PITTS
HENDRIX AND RAVEN MAKE PLAY	LAWHORN SLIDING INTO SECOND	MEETING ON THE MOUND
NEIL LAWHORN	NEIL LAWHORN	OUT AT FIRST
PAPPIN SLIDES AT SECOND	PLAY SECOND	RAYNE RAVEN AT FIRST
TAYLOR SMART	TAYLOR SMART	TYLER SPENCER
ZACH HENDRIX	ZACH HENDRIX TOUCHES HOME