The Western Nevada College baseball team advanced to the Western District Championship game with a 3-2 win over rival Salt Lake on Friday.
The teams were meeting for the ninth time of the season, and WNC picked up the win on the biggest stage. Salt Lake, the No. 2 team in the country, leads the season series 5-4.
Coach D.J. Whittemore threw a curveball by starting Brandon Jackson, who normally comes out of the bullpen for the Wildcats.
Jackson threw seven innings of shutout ball, striking out five and giving up six hits.
Dylan Baker earned the save.
WNC broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning when Chris Woolley singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Mike Umscheid sacrificed Woolley to third. Woolley scored on Derrick Pitts' RBI single.
The Wildcats added the deciding runs in the eighth when Zach Hendrix drove in two on a single.
In the bottom of the inning, the Bruins got a single and drew a walk to put two runners on. Baker then came in to relieve Jackson. The Bruins got on the board on a wild pitch, and a single scored another runner before WNC could end the inning.
Baker pitched out of the jam in the ninth. He walked the first batter, who advanced on a sacrifice bunt, but WNC held on to win.
The Wildcats now advance to the Western District Championship game from the winners bracket and will face Salt Lake again at 11 a.m. today.
WNC must lose twice to be eliminated from the tournament.
