March 29, 2007

In baseball, the life of a closer is either feast or famine. Northeastern Junior College closer Danny Brock experienced the downside of being the guy called on to get the last three outs of a game.

Brock surrendered a game-winning, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth as Colorado State University-Club handed NJC a 5-4 loss on Thursday in Fort Collins. An NJC defensive error extended the ninth inning, and CSU-Club took full advantage of the miscue by hitting a walk-off home run two batters later. The Plainsmen fell to 18-8-1 on the season with six of their losses coming by one run.

NJC took the lead at 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth inning. Catcher Mike Perry walked to lead the inning off, and Jose Collazo came on to run. Collazo stole second and advanced to third on a ground ball by Colton Williams.

Josh Warren's sacrifice fly scored Collazo, and the Plainsmen held the one-run lead until the final hitter of the game.

Northeastern took an early, 2-0, lead in the contest in the top of the second inning when Brock walked to lead off the frame. Sterling Sophomore Jeff Squier tripled to knock in Brock, and Gus Velazquez followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Squier.

The Plainsmen tacked on a run in the top of the third when Warren stole home on a double steal.

All five CSU-Club's runs were unearned as the NJC defense committed four errors on the day.

The Plainsmen resume Region IX play on Saturday at noon in Scottsbluff against Western Nebraska.