WNC sophomore pitcher Nicole Lesniak throws to a Snow College batter Friday afternoon at Edmonds Sports Complex.
Last spring Western Nevada College ousted Snow College from the Scenic West Athletic Conference tournament.
Although Snow got some revenge by winning the first game of Friday’s SWAC doubleheader, 7-1, the Wildcats used a quick start in the second game to post a 7-4 win and gain a split at Edmonds Sports Complex.
The teams complete the four-game series today with a noon doubleheader.
“Every year we face them, we struggle to get wins,” WNC coach Leah Wentworth said. “We knocked them out of the running at the tournament last year, so I’m sure they were looking for another opportunity against us. With this team, we expect to win every time we step on the field.”
Nicole Lesniak, a transfer from College of Southern Nevada, scattered 12 hits in her complete game effort in the nightcap. She never had a 1-2-3 inning, and gave up at least one hit in each of the seven innings.
“I thought Nicole did a great job,” Wentworth said. “She did a good job keeping them off balance with her change-up. I got a little nervous in the sixth when they had the bases loaded with one out, but she was doing a good job.
“We played a much tougher game, and we made some big plays defensively. With our aggressive baserunning we were able to take advantage of every opportunity.”
The Wildcats cashed in aplenty in the first two innings, scoring three in the first and twice in the second to take a 5-2 lead.
Makaya Jaussi was in the middle of both rallies, scoring after a first-inning single and driving in a run in the second with a double. Lauren Lesniak had a run-scoring single in the second, while Kacie Freudenberger slugged a double and Briauna Carter had a single.
Carter hit a solo homer in the sixth to make it 6-2, and Jaussi was hit by a pitch and scored on Gabi Canibeyaz’s fielder’s choice to make it 7-2. Lefty Riley Cleverly threw three hitless innings for Snow
Lesniak surrendered a solo homer in the fifth to Kenzie Rasmussen to make it 7-3, and Snow put up a serious threat in the sixth.
Hits by Shaylee Larsen and Mariah Petersen plus a walk loaded the bases with no outs. After retiring a batter, Cassidy Anderson’s infield single scored a run. Lesniak got Emily Adams on an infield pop-up and Rasmussen was retired on a flyball to left. Lesniak breezed through the seventh.
Jaussi led WNC with three hits and Carter had two.
In the opener, a mental error enabled Snow to score two second-inning runs.
BritLee Anderson doubled and moved to third on Larsen’s single. Brooks Davis popped one over by the Snow dugout. Canibeyaz made the catch, and for some reason WNC catcher Bailey Henderson also went for the ball. With nobody covering home, Anderson tagged and scored, and Larsen tagged and moved to second. An error led to the second run.
“We need to be aggressive,” Wentworth said.”The pitcher needs to come down and cover the plate (if the catcher leaves).”
WNC got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Canibeyaz scored on Henderson’s infield roller.
The score stayed 2-1 until the top of the fifth when Snow hitters had five straight hits off Dakota Robinson to start the inning. Davis had the big blow when she drove in two runs to make it 6-1. Emily Street drove in the game’s final run.
“If they had been connecting hard, I would have taken Dakota out sooner,” Wenworth said. “They were finding the holes in the outfield. I had faith in Dakota.
“We had a hard time shutting down their bats. We’ve got to hit to win. We had a hard time making adjustments to the pitcher’s screwball.”
WNC left five runners stranded in scoring position.
PREP BASEBALL
Dayton outlasts Fernley
DAYTON — The Dust Devils won their first game of the season, snapping an 11-all tie with two sixth-inning runs en route to a 13-11 win over Fernley Friday afternoon.
The teams conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
Gage Duke snapped the tie with a solo homer, and an error allowed the insurance run to score. Mike Selmi had tied the game at 11 with a two-out, two-strike triple in the bottom of the fifth.
Mason Haines got a game-ending double play in the top of the seventh.
“The solo shot by Duke was a huge hit,” coach Mike Burrows said. “It gave us some momentum. I’m happy for the kids to get a win under their belt after our struggles last weekend. They are a resilient bunch of kids.”
Duke went 3-for-4 with two RBI, Jesse Schmidt went 2-for-4 with two RBI, Jaret Reed went 2-for-5 with three RBI, and Selmi and Austin Rodgers had a hit apiece.
