Wildcats advance to Region 18 finals

Wildcats advance to Region 18 finals

By CHARLES WHISNAND

Appeal Sports Editor

HENDERSON - The Western Nevada College baseball team was down 3-0 in the

bottom of the second inning against College of Southern Idaho when the Wildcats finally decided to show up for this party.

After really playing mediocre baseball, but staying alive on the first day, the Wildcats finally turned it on against the Golden Eagles for a 12-4 win in a game that was called after 6 1/2 innings due to the eight-run rule.

Kyle Farrell pitched a complete game, striking out four and allowing just one earned run.

WNC kept pouring it on in an 11-1 win over Salt Lake Community College to advance to today's championship round against regular-season champion College of Southern Nevada.

Josh Moody and Andrew Reid turned in a brilliant performance on the mound, and Brian Barnett went 3-for-3 with an RBI sacrifice fly. Barnett also set the tone of the game when he took the third pitch of the contest over the left field fence for a home run.

The Wildcats and CSN will play at 2 p.m. today at CSN. WNC needs to beat the Coyotes twice to take the title and would force a second game today with a win in the first game.

Kyle Starratt, who would be pitching on one day's rest but only threw 49 pitches on Thursday, is the likely starter in today's first game. The only pitcher who will not be available today is Farrell.

WNC coach D.J. Whittemore said even Moody and Reid could be available to get an out or two.

"Those guys are just as tough as nails," Whittemore said. "They're never going to turn away a chance."

WNC has history on its side against CSN. The Coyotes are the No. 1 seed, but the No. 1 seed hasn't won the Region 18 Tournament for six straight years. The Wildcats have also won eight of the last 10 against CSN.

But in reality, the Coyotes have the advantage. CSN has only had to play two games while WNC (38-19) has had to play four. The Coyotes advanced to the championship round with a 5-1 win over Salt Lake behind Tyler Lavigne.

It's the second straight year that WNC and CSN will meet for the Region 18 title with the Wildcats winning last year on their way to the JUCO World Series.

After committing four errors against Colorado Northwestern Community College to make things interesting before winning 13-7 on Thursday, the Wildcats made three errors early against CSI, but settled down.

WNC rallied in the second after Jerome Pena led off with a walk and Chuck Howard was hit by a pitch. Travis Feiner then reached on an infield single to load the bases with no outs.

Kyle Gutchewsky then had the at bat of the tournament for WNC when he fought off several pitches and ran the count to 3-1 before drawing a walk to force in a run. Brian Barnett followed with a two-run single to tie the score 3-3.

Barnett has been relegated to the designated hitter role as he's been bothered by a sore hamstring. But his baserunning helped keep the rally alive.

Gutchewsky scored on a passed ball and Barnett was running on the pitch and despite being hampered by his hamstring was able to make it all the way to third. Barnett then scored on Marshall Kennebrew's RBI single to make it 5-3.

CSI scored an unearned run in the fourth to make it 5-4, but then it was all Wildcats. After Lance Ray was hit by a pitch and Kennebrew singled, Cliff Shepard drove a two-run triple to right centerfield over CSI's outfield that was for some reason playing extremely shallow with the wind blowing out.

In the fifth, Feiner reached on an infield single and Barnett and Ray walked to load the bases. Kennebrew then burned CSI's drawn in outfield again with a three-run triple.

Shepard followed with an RBI double and Logan Parsley hit an RBI triple to make it 12-4.

Shepard said there was no panic in the WNC dugout after the Wildcats fell behind 3-0.

"We just needed to start getting our pitch and start getting some runners and some runs on the board," Shepard said.

Shepard said Farrell also played a big role in keeping WNC in the game. "He did a great job," Shepard said. "He's going to do well in the years to come. He throws the ball hard and he has good command."

Kennebrew had three hits, Feiner, Barnett and Shepard all had two hits and Gutchewsky and Chuck Howard each added a hit. Farrell also received a huge lift from Howard, who threw out four baserunners from behind the plate.

WNC 11, SALT LAKE 1

Barnett's homer gave WNC a 1-0 lead in the first. Moody allowed singles to the first two batters he faced in Kyle Bubak and Sean Moysh. But Moody picked off Bubak and settled down after allowing the hit to Moysh.

He struck out seven over five innings. In the sixth, Bubak led off with a double and an error gave Salt Lake runners at first and third with no outs, chasing Moody. Enter Reid, who got a double play, allowing the run to score.

But that was it for Salt Lake as Reid didn't allow a hit over the last four innings, striking out four.

WNC took a 4-0 lead in the fourth after Gutchewsky walked, advanced to second on a balk and scored on Barnett's single. Pena followed with an RBI triple and Marshall Kennebrew hit an RBI single to make it 4-0.

In the eight, Shepard doubled and after Howard walked, Lance Ray laid down a sacrifice bunt and the bases were loaded when Shepard beat the throw to third. Gutchewsky walked to force in a run and Barnett hit an RBI sacrifice fly to make it 6-1.

The Wildcats added five more in the ninth after Pena was hit by a pitch and Mike Long followed with a sacrifice bunt. After an error on the play and after Parsley was hit by a pitch, WNC ended up with the bases loaded.

Shepard and Feiner each hit RBI singles, another run scored on an error and Gutchewsky hit a two-run double to finish the scoring. Shepard added two hits for WNC.

Note: WNC assistant coach Kevin Edwards missed Friday and will miss today as his wife, Summer gave birth to twin boys, Duke and Rex, on Friday. They join their older brother, Mack, 1.