WNC blanks SLCC 5-0 to reach SWAC finals

SALT LAKE CITY — The Western Nevada College Wildcats moved into the Scenic West Athletic Conference fnals with a 5-0 win over host Salt Lake Friday afternoon at Cate Field.

Christian Stolo and Max Karnos combined for the shutout. The game was delayed by three hours because of thunder.

The game was scoreless through five innings.

WNC’s Jake Bennett led off the sixth inning with a single. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Klein. Stolo followed with a two-run homer, putting the Wildcats on the board, 2-0. Joey Crunkilton kept the momentum going with a single. Alex Fife reached on a fielder’s choice, forcing Crunkilton out at second. Spenser Dorsey flied out to bring the top of the inning to a close.

After a scoreless seventh, WNC got on the board in the eighth.

Bennett led off the eighth with a walk, and Connor Klein drew a walk. Stolo sacrificed both runners up a base. Fife was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Spencer Dorsey followed with a two-run single to make it 4-0.

In the final inning, Bennett added to the Wildcats lead with a solo homerun.

Karnos came in to close for the first time in the season for the final inning. He made quick work of the Bruins, facing three batters. He struck out two and gave up no hits. Stolo picked up the win, striking out 10 and allowing three hits.

“Max did a good job of putting up two goose eggs in his first closing appearance,” said D.J. Whittemore. “We came out focused after the long delay. Stolo pitched us out of some early jams and gave our offense a chance to get the lead. The offense did a good job extending the lead with Dorsey coming through with a big hit.”

SOFTBALL TEAM ELIMINATED

TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The third time wasn’t for the Wildcats.

After staving off elimination with two straight victories on Thursday, WNC’s season ended Friday with a 5-4 loss to in-state rival College of Southern Nevada at College of Southern Idaho.

The Coyotes, who used the longball all year against WNC, got a walk-off homer from Tiani Hensley off Carlee Beck in the bottom of the seventh. It was the only run Beck allowed in her 2.2 innings of work.

Katilyn Covione went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in three of the Wildcats’ four runs. She homered in the first inning and had a sarifice fly in the fifth.

The top of the first saw the Western Nevada College Wildcats take an early lead, 2-0. A two-run home run by Covione scored Katelyn Bomar, who walked with one out.

College of Southern Nevada pushed across one run in both the first inning and the seventh. In the first, College of Southern Nevada scored on a fielder’s choice, scoring Ariel Frantz.

Megan Mello got the win for College of Southern Nevada. She allowed four runs over seven innings, striking out two and walking three.

College of Southern Nevada was sparked by Hensley and Mikela Manewa, who teamed up for two hits and five RBIs.