April 23, 2007

The Northeastern Junior College baseball team dropped two more, one-run games on Sunday at home against Trinidad.

The Plainsmen fell to 21-17 on the season overall and 10-10 in Region IX.

Trinidad took both games, 7-6; handing NJC their 11th and 12th, one-run losses of the season.

Northeastern took an early, 2-1 lead in the first game when Josh Warren and Mike Mendenhall reached base on back-to-back bunt singles.

Jose Collazo's RBI fielder's choice scored Warren, and Mendenhall took home on a double steal.

Trinidad pulled away in the top of the fifth with five runs off NJC starter Derrick Townsend and reliever Justin Mattelka.

The Plainsmen battled back with three runs in the sixth powered by a two-RBI double by Sam Feiner.

Game Two was a mirror image of the first game.

Trinidad took a 7-3 lead with three runs in the fifth inning with two outs off starter NJC starting pitcher James Quisenberry.

The Plainsmen fought back with three runs in the sixth to get within a run. Mendenhall, Feiner and Colton Williams all singled and scored to bring the Plainsmen within a run with one more chance to bat.

NJC loaded the bases in the seventh when Williams and Mendenhall reached on errors, and Jeff Squier followed with a bunt single. With two outs, Feiner's hot shot to third was fielded cleanly to end the game at 7-6.

The Plainsmen travel to Scottsbluff to take on Western Nebraska in a doubleheader on Wednesday at 1 p.m.