April 26, 2007

The Northeastern Junior College baseball team split a doubleheader with Western Nebraska in Scottsbluff on Wednesday.

Coach Bryan Shepherd's Plainsmen moved to 22-18 overall and 11-11 in Region IX.

NJC took the first game, 7-3, behind the pitching of freshman Ty Cardona. Cardona rolled through five complete innings to pick up the win. The lefty struck out four and walked two on his way to his fifth win of the season.

Justin Sortino came on to retire the three hitters he faced in the sixth, and Danny Brock tossed a perfect seventh inning.

NJC's Josh Warren, Rhett Welsh, Gustavo Velazquez, and Brock each had a couple hits to lead the NJC offense.

Western Nebraska ran away with the second game by taking a 6-0 lead after three innings. The Cougars tacked on six runs in the fifth to put the 12-4 victory in ice.

NJC freshman Arvin Perez was tagged with the loss, throwing just an inning and a third.

Las Vegas, Nev.; freshman Sam Feiner led NJC at the plate with a double, a single, and RBI and a run scored.

The Plainsmen travel to Otero on Saturday and Lamar on Sunday for Region IX doubleheaders.