Freshman outfielder Bradley Lewis delivered Western Nevada College’s second walk-off victory of the 2015 season on Friday afternoon against Utah State University Eastern.
Lewis stroked a walk-off double to score Jon Guzman as the Wildcats rallied for a 7-6 baseball victory over the Golden Eagles at John L. Harvey Field.
“I was looking to put the ball in the right-center gap because I noticed the flag blowing the other way,” Lewis said. “It wasn’t necessary to pull the ball, so I was trying to hit the ball to that side to move the guy over and get the next guy up. I hit it farther than I thought.”
The Wildcats, however, dropped the second game of the doubleheader, 1-0, despite the three-hit pitching of Kyle Johnson and Ty Fox, ending the team’s win streak at six games.
Freshman catcher Tim Lichty, who provided the only other walk-off win for the Wildcats against Salt Lake on March 6, came through with a three-run double in the sixth inning to put WNC ahead 6-5.
Lewis’ opportunity to win the game was only made possible by a two-out single by Guzman.
“Brad got ahead 2 and 1, then did a great job,” WNC coach D.J. Whittemore said. “A couple of freshmen to win a ball game in the last at-bat, that feels really good.”
Four walks preceded Lichty’s bases-clearing double in the sixth, when the Wildcats turned a three-run deficit into a one-run lead.
“(Reliever Hadley) Thorpe came in and closed the door against us in Vegas when they beat us. Today, it’s a little later in the season and our seeing the ball a little bit better, we were able to lay off some of the sliders he was throwing,” Whittemore said.
Winning pitcher Kyle Thompson’s composure in the tight game impressed Whittemore.
“We’ve been through a lot this year, losing (21 games), but we’ve learned a lot from each one of those losses,” Whittemore said.
“One of the things you learn is that you control the next pitch and you keep fighting that next pitch. Kyle gave up that bloop single to tie the game, but he didn’t let it affect him.”
With the twin bill split, the Wildcats (30-21 overall) guaranteed their 10th straight winning season.
Game two developed into a pitching duel between Eastern Utah’s Skyler Thorpe and WNC’s Johnson and Fox.
Both teams had ample chances to score before the Golden Eagles put the lone run on the scoreboard in the sixth.
Lewis singled off Skyler Thorpe with two outs in the seventh, but Bennett grounded out to second base for the final out. Thorpe scattered eight hits in going the distance and struck out five.
Brogan Secrist topped WNC hitters by going 3 for 3. Bennett and Reynolds collected a pair of hits.
The teams will conclude their four-game series with a noon contest Saturday. Whittemore will honor his nine sophomores prior to the first pitch.
JC SOFTBALL
WNC loses three to Snow
EMPHRIM, Utah — Snow College swept Western Nevada College, 2-0, 11-4 and 6-5 Friday afternoon in a Scenic West Athletic Conference softball tripleheader.
The teams agreed to play three games because of probable inclimate weather today. The teams are scheduled to play at 10 a.m.
In the opener, Riley Cox outdueled Kristina George. Cox went the distance, scattering six hits and striking out five. George was just as tough, allowing just two hits and striking out three in 5.2 innings in the circle.
Western had plenty of chances to win this one, but was unable to come up with a clutch hit.
In the second, WNC loaded the bases with one out. Cox struck out Kelsie Callahan and got Bailey Henderson on a groundball to third base. In the fourth with runners at first and second, Henderson got a strikeout and Makaylee Jaussi grounded back to the pitcher. WNC had the bases loaded in the sixth, and Cox retired Sammi Bell on strikes and Jaussi on a fly to left.
Lauren Lesniak led the Wildcats with two singles, while Gabi Canibeyaz, Pam Sakuma, Kacie Freudenberger and Melanie Mecham added a hit each.
In the nightcap, Sakuma homered, while Mecham had two hits. Briauna Carter singled in a run.
The third game went 11 innings. Sakuma went 2-for-5 with an RBI, while Carter had two hits and two RBI. Jaussi also had two hits.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Carson hosts Galena for 2
Fresh off a 7-6 upset of Damonte Ranch, Carson High (10-8) hosts Galena (14-4) in a Northern Division 1 doubleheader at Ron McNutt Field today. Action gets under way at 4 p.m.
Carson is expected to send out Brandon Allen and John Holton to the mound today. Holton worked the final two-thirds of an inning on Thursday to pick up the save for Bryce Moyle.
With four games left in the regular season, Damonte (17-1) leads Reno (16-2) by one game and Bishop Manogue (15-3) by two games. Galena holds down the fourth spot at 14-4.
Carson has a playoff spot cinched, and the next four games are for placement only. The Senators could finish anywhere from fourth to eighth depending on the outcome of today’s games and the season-ending series against Douglas on Wednesday and Thursday. The top four teams host first-round games.
The playoffs start May 5 and 6 at host sites, and the final three days games will be played at Peccole Park.
• Ethan Good drove in four runs to lead the Carson JV squad to a 9-7 win over Damonte Ranch on Thursday. Carson broke open a tight game with seven fourth-inning runs.
Dayton splits with Truckee
DAYTON — Mike Selmi hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh to snap a 3-all tie to give Dayton a 4-3 win and a split of the Northern Division 1 doubleheader.
Selmi went 3-for-4 with two solo homers and a single. Trevor Burrows pitched well, allowing two hits over six innings. Burrows helped himself at the plate with two hits and an RBI. Mason Haines contributed a double and single.
Truckee won the opener 10-4.
All of Dayton’s runs came in the fifth when Burrows hit a run-scoring single and Marcos Saylor hit a three-run homer which cut Dayton’s deficit to 6-4 in the fifth. Truckee put it away with four in the sixth.
“Walk-off homers are always exciting,” Dayton coach Mike Burrows said. “We needed a spark. Hopefully this takes us into Saturday with some momentum.”
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK
Big George Invite today at DHS
Approximately 30 teams are entered at the 8th annual Big George Invitational today at Douglas High School.
Action gets under way at 10 a.m. with finals slated for 1 p.m.
Versatile Corey Reid leads the Carson contingent. He has the fastest 400 time in the region. Ian Schulz (163-3) is ranked No. 3 in the discus and Madison Preston is the state leader in the triple jump at 36-8 1/2. Asa Carter is No. 4 in the triple jump at 44-9. Greg Wallace has gone 6-6 in the high jump.
Dayton’s Benji Ply should challenge in the pole vault at 14-3 and Zach Hawley is No. 4 in the state in the discus at 162-2. Ply has also gone 6-6 in the high jump. His younger brother, Jon, has cleared 6-4.
The Division I regionals are May 2 and 9 at Carson High.
