WNC baseball sweeps CSI

Andrew Woeck gave up a game-opening single to College of Southern Idaho's Carter Yagi in the first game of Friday's doubleheader, and that was the last of the Golden Eagles' offense.

Woeck fanned four and walked two, and his teammates gave him plenty of support in WNC's 10-0 win at John L. Harvey Field. The game was stopped after 4 1/2 innings because of the 10-run rule.

WNC, 12-2 in league and 23-7 overall, completed the sweep with a 3-1 victory in the nightcap as Anthony Consiglio and Matt Robertson combined on a six-hitter.

Woeck only had two 1-2-3 innings, the third and the fifth. Only twice did Southern Idaho get a runner to second or beyond.

"I was trying to establish my fastball," said Woeck, who estimated he threw about 75 percent fastballs. "We had a good scouting report, so I knew where to pitch each guy."

WNC coach D.J. Whittemore said that he was happy with the way Woeck competed despite not having his normal outstanding stuff.

The Wildcats' offense, led by Dillon Ness and Zach Hendrix, each of whom went 3-for-3, scored in all four of its at-bats.

AJ Hernandez doubled to lead off the WNC first, moved to third on an infield out and scored on Ness' single. Hendrix singled Ness to second, but Neil Lawhorn grounded out to end the inning.

WNC made it 4-0 in the second when Rayne Raven doubled, and moved to third on a balk. Taylor Smart walked and stole second. Hernandez followed with a sacrifice fly to score Raven. Chris Woolley followed with a run-scoring single to make it 3-0. After Derrick Pitts walked, Ness delivered his second run-scoring hit of the game.

The Wildcats tacked on two more in the third for a 6-0 lead.

Raven singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a single by Smart. Hernandez lined to short for the second out. Lefty Mike Umscheid was announced as a pinch-hitter for Woolley, who pulled a quad muscle. CSI countered with lefty reliever Justin Mackert. Whittemore pulled Umscheid and sent up righty Bobby Gazzola.

Gazzola, a bounceback transfer from Hofstra, hit a triple in the left-centerfield gap to score both runner. Mackert retired Pitts to end the inning.

"It came out of nowhere," Gazzola said. "It was a match-up thing. I think I hit a change-up. I was trying to be aggressive right off the bat. I stay loose on the bench. It wasn't hard (to go up there cold)."

Whittemore gave credit for the move to assistant coach Aaron Demosthenes.

"He said that was the move, so I made it, " Whittemore said.

WNC made it 10-0 in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs thanks to three errors by CSI's infield.

Runs were much tougher to come by in the second game, as CSI's Andrew Freter and WNC's Anthony quickly locked up in a pitcher's duel.

The Wildcats took a quick 1-0 lead in the first when Raven walked, stole second, advanced to third on a single by Pitts and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ness, who went 4-for-6 in the doubleheader. He entered the game hitting .370.

"I just get my foot down so I can see the ball as long as possible," Ness said. "I don't think about much when I'm up there at the plate. I like hitting the fastball. If I get a fastball, I'm going to put a good swing on it."

CSI tied the game at 1 in the second on a sacrifice fly by Parker Webster.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the fifth.

Bobby Pappin, who went 3-for-3, led off with a single. He stole second and Smart walked. The runners moved to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by Hernandez. After Raven struck out, Pitts followed with a slow roller which the CSI bobbled allowing Pitts to reach on an infield single. Pitts actually got two RBI on the play when Smart scored all the way from second base to make it 3-1.

Consiglio worked a scoreless sixth and then turned the ball over to Robertson, who one-hit the Golden Eagles over the final three innings to pick up the save.

Pappin and Pitts had five of WNC' eight hits in the second game.

The team conclude the four-game series with a noon doubleheader. Both games are scheduled for seven innings.