Western Nevada dropped to 0-6 in Scenic West Conference play after dropping a doubleheader to No. 1 Salt Lake, 4-2 and 15-4, Friday at Edmonds Park.
The first game went 9 innings, while the second game was stopped after six innings because of the run rule.
The teams play a doubleheader today starting at noon.
In the opener, Salt Lake led 1-0, but WNC battled back for two runs in the second when Cara McCarthy singled and losing pitcher Ali Lostra walked. Jenny Rechel reached on an error, loading the bases. Jenny Quam singled to left, scoring McCarthy and Lostra to make it 2-1.
Salt Lake scored in the top of the sixth, tying the game at 2. WNC got a runner to third in the bottom of the inning, but was unable to score.
Western almost won the game in the eighth when Andrea Lee hit a no-out double off the fence in left. Lee moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. McCarthy was walked intentionally, and then Lostra and Rechel struck out looking to end the threat.
Salt Lake scored twice in the top of the ninth off Lostra, who allowed five hits but walked eight in the contest. WNC went out 1-2-3 in the ninth.
"Ali pitched a great game," WNC coach Leah Wentworth said. "She had a 2-hitter until that last inning."
McCarthy went 3-for-3 in the tough loss.
In the second game, WNC fell behind 6-1 after three innings. Sydney Darby had an RBI double in the first for WNC.
Western cut the deficit to 6-3 in the fifth when McCarthy doubled, moved to third on an error and scored on Rechel's single. Two passed balls scored Lostra, who had reached on the error.
Salt Lake struck for nine runs on nine hits in the sixth, five of which were unearned. Western made four errors which led to 12 unearned runs.
McCarthy went 2-for-3 in the nightcap.
BASEBALL
WNC blanks Riverside
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Phil Belding retired the first 22 batters he faced before allowing a hit, as WNC held on for a 2-0 win over Riverside Community College in a nonconference game Friday.
WNC improved to 11-4. The teams conclude the series today at noon.
WNC coach D.J. Whittemore believes that the complete game shutout is the first since 2007.
Colby Rice had a run-scoring double in the third to make it 1-0, and Joey Crunkilton delivered a run-scoring single in the fifth to complete the scoring.
Crunkilton was the only WNC player to get more than one hit.
