LAS VEGAS — For a day, the Western Nevada College Wildcats can take solace in slaying last year’s dragon.
After losing four of five games, including a pair of Western District tournament matchups, to South Mountain last season, the Wildcats were determined to turn the tables on the Phoenix team to open the 2015 baseball season.
WNC used solid pitching, timely hitting and clean defense to sweep South Mountain, 9-7 and 3-0, on Saturday at Desert Oasis High School.
“If you beat South Mountain, you’ve done something right,” WNC coach D.J. Whittemore said. “South Mountain has always been a very good club and a stiff test. That’s why we schedule them first every year. It gets us ready (for conference).”
The teams were scheduled to open the season on Friday but steady rain pushed back the start of the 2015 campaign.
In the opener, sophomore pitcher Max Karnos earned the victory, allowing one run and striking out eight in 5 1/3 innings.
The Wildcats took a 9-2 lead into the final inning, but South Mountain cut the lead to two runs and had the bases loaded before sophomore closer Connor Zwetsch recorded the final out for the first of his two saves on the day.
As they did in the opener, the Wildcats came through with an outstanding starting pitching performance. Freshman Matt Young tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits. Zwetsch escaped some trouble in the seventh to preserve the shutout.
Offensively, the Wildcats received multiple contributors in the two games, with players often coming through with runners in scoring position. Jake Bennett, Brandon Lapointe and D.J. Peters each delivered two-base hits.
It marked the seventh time in the program’s 10-year history the Wildcats (2-0) came away with a win in their season opener.
The teams will conclude their season-opening series today at Desert Oasis. The doubleheader starts at 9:30 a.m.
WRESTLING
Bittersweet day for CHS
AUBURN, Calif. — Carson High finished second to Spanish Springs at Saturday’s Placer Duals, but got revenge against Damonte Ranch during the semifinal match.
After sweeping its pool with wins against Placer (60-24), Argonaut (70-12) and El Dorado (57-18), the Senators finally got a chance to meet Damonte on the mat. The Mustangs beat Carson 58-18 in the opening match of the Sierra League season. CHS was without nine wrestlers who were just coming off football and didn’t have the required practices in. CHS officials felt that Damonte didn’t try hard to schedule the dual when both teams would have been at full strength.
So, Carson’s 40-28 semifinal win was huge. Carson lost to Spanish Springs 42-22 in the championship match.
“We didn’t wrestle great against Spanish Springs, but that was partially my fault,” CHS coach Paul Carter said. “After wrestling Damonte, we were on such an emotional high, it was a letdown to wrestle Spanish Springs. The Damonte match was very emotional, very intense. There was a lot of screaming and yelling.
“It was a great way to get ready for teams we’re going to see at regionals. Spanish Springs is going to vie for the title and of course Damonte Ranch. It’s a great build-up for the regionals.”
CHS had five undefeated wrestlers — Brandon Basa (113), Spencer Rogers (120), Nathan Mersino (132), Brady O’Keefe (145) and Brady Rivera (220). All five went 5-0. Nolan Shine (152) and Connor Sievers (182) both went 4-1. Terin Keller (106), Jake Roman (126) and heavyweight Sheldon Miller all went 3-2. Abel Carter (160) and Kevin Rusler (170) both went 2-3.
JC SOFTBALL
Wildcats 1-3 in tourney
HENDERSON — Western Nevada College’s softball team is putting itself in position to win. With a few more timely hits and plays Saturday, the Wildcats could have left the Southern Nevada Kickoff Tournament in Henderson with a winning record.
After nearly upsetting 12th-ranked Central Arizona on Friday, the Wildcats bounced back on Saturday to record their first victory of the season. The Wildcats defeated Yavapai College for the first time in program history, 6-2, behind the three-hit pitching of freshman Kristina George.
George used an assortment of offspeed pitches to strike out seven Yavapai hitters.
“They had a hard time putting the ball in play, and we played a real solid offensive and defensive game,” said WNC coach Leah Wentworth.
Kelsie Callahan and Kacie Freudenberger paced the offense with three hits apiece. Callahan drove in one of WNC’s six runs with a homer. They were supported by two hits off the bats of Briauna Carter, Makaylee Jaussi and Melanie Mecham.
Preceding the win against Yavapai, the Wildcats were outlasted by El Paso, Texas, 5-2, in eight innings. El Paso took advantage of the international tiebreaker rule to score three times in the eighth inning to snap a 2-2 tie.
Freshman hurler Dakota Robinson kept the El Paso bats quiet for most of the game but took the loss in a complete-game effort.
Mecham was 2 for 4, including a solo homer, while Callahan, Freudenberger and Robinson chipped in a hit.
To cap the tournament, the Wildcats lost to the third-ranked Arizona Western College Matadors, 11-1, in five innings late Saturday afternoon.
WNC will return to action in the Great Western Shootout starting Friday, Feb. 6 in Yuma, Ariz.
VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL
Elko pummels Dayton
ELKO — Angela Sikora had 12 points, five rebounds, three steals and three blocks in the lopsided 59-26 Northern Division 1A loss.
Christi Ricci added five points and Jessie Ingham four to go with four steals.
“We had a hard time keeping up with the intensity of their first string,” DHS coach Kelly Frantz said. “We couldn’t take care of the ball against their press. Bad passes led to easy baskets. We did a better job in the second half of being able to get into our offense.”
VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL
Hess sparks Muckers
VIRGINIA CITY — Clint Hess scored 21 of his game-high 31 points in the first half to lead Virginia City past Pyramid Lake, 60-37, in a Division IV game Saturday night.
Virginia City moves to 11-0 in conference and returns to action Friday at Coleville.
