Homers haven't been the primary source of Western Nevada College victories in 2016, but that changed on the team's current road trip in Utah.
Abe Yagi smacked a game-tying, two-run homer and DJ Peters slammed a tie-breaking, two-run shot as the Wildcats rallied for a 12-5 Scenic West Athletic Conference baseball victory over Utah State University Eastern on Friday in Price. Tim Lichty homered in Game 2, but the Golden Eagles rallied for an 8-5 victory.
"Give them credit; they didn't quit and their coach did a good job saving some of their best pitchers for the final game," said WNC coach D.J. Whittemore. "They held us to five runs in very offensive conditions with the wind blowing straight out and the infield and outfield playing really fast."
The home runs were the Carson City based Wildcats' sixth, seventh and eighth of the series, giving the club 27 with their wooden bats this season.
In the first game, Yagi also delivered a run-scoring double in the sixth inning and a RBI single in the seventh to give left-hander Chase Kaplan insurance as he won his seventh game in seven decisions. Kaplan now has a share of the National Junior College Athletic Association lead with his seven victories.
Peters and Yagi collected three hits apiece and combined for six RBI to pace the Wildcats' 12-hit attack. Yagi's homer was his first as a collegian. Daniel Nist contributed two hits, including a double.
Casey Cornwell's groundout to short scored Yagi with the Wildcats' eighth run. The Wildcats added four runs in the seventh before an out was recorded. Pinch-hitters Eric Flores and Chad Bell supplied two-run and RBI singles, respectively, while Yagi drove in his fourth run of the game with a base hit to left field.
Kaplan worked five innings, surrendering four hits and three earned runs. He struck out three, walked one and picked off two runners at first base.
"Kaplan pitched very well and better than the linescore," Whittemore said. "I was happy with our pitching all day."
The Wildcats pounced on a couple of Eastern Utah errors and a Peters base hit to score twice in the first inning for the third straight game.
However, the Golden Eagles tallied three runs in the first and a run in the second to take a 4-2 lead. A triple off the bat of leadoff hitter Zac Lundell started the fruitful first. Cory McKendrick's two-out, two-run single and four stolen bases troubled the Wildcats during the rally.
The Golden Eagles stole another run in the second as Ridge Nielson beat out an infield hit, advanced to second on Kaplan's errant pickoff throw and eventually came home on Austin Geurtsen's groundout to the right side of the infield.
But Kaplan settled into a groove, retiring 10 of the final 13 hitters he faced.
Peters and Tim Lichty produced a quick 3-0 start for the Wildcats in the series finale. Peters' sacrifice fly scored Modler and Lichty followed with a two-run homer to right field for his fourth homer of the series.
Manny Begay's solo homer in the second cut WNC's lead to 3-1. The rally didn't end there as Lundell and Trevor Clingman provided two-out RBI singles to tie the score at 3.
Sophomore right-hander Ty Fox relieved Jordan Ragan after the Golden Eagles loaded the bases to begin the fourth inning. Fox gave up a sacrifice fly to Lundell, putting Eastern Utah on top 4-3. But Fox got out of the jam with a one-run deficit, precipitating a WNC rally in the fifth.
Modler led off the fifth with a triple and scored on Bell's groundout. Flores put WNC ahead, 5-4, with a two-out single to center.
The lead didn't last as the Golden Eagles packaged three hits, three wild pitches and an error to go back in front, 7-5, in the sixth.
WNC had its chances to rally but left seven runners on base in the final five innings.
In the seventh, Lichty and Yagi reached base with one out, but reliever Kaidyn Longman prevented the Wildcats from scoring.
A two-out walk to Modler in the eighth brought the tying run to the plate, but Longman picked off the Wildcat to end the inning.
Bell walked and Peters singled to start the ninth against Eastern Utah closer Trevor Sanders. But Sanders got the next three outs to secure the win.
Lichty was 4 for 5 with two RBI and a run scored. Modler was a homer short of the cycle with two runs scored.
It was the Wildcats' third straight road series, with the Wildcats winning nine of the 12 games.
"It's good to have these three road trips out of the way," Whittemore said. "We won all three of the series, so that's nothing to shake your head at."
WNC (13-3 in SWAC play and 23-9 overall) can now prepare for its showdown with defending SWAC champion College of Southern Nevada. The two teams have battling for first place throughout the first four weeks of the conference season. The four-game series begins Friday in Henderson.