PHOENIX – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team fell behind early against Mesa Community College in the team's final game in Arizona, falling to Mesa 11-3.

            Mesa scored runs in the first five innings to grab an 8-0 lead before WNCC could get a run across the plate.

            Trailing by eight, the Cougars found some offense in the sixth when they plated three runs. 

            The sixth-inning offense started when Dylan Howard singled. Quinn McCafferty followed by getting hit by a pitch. Sergio Tarango walked to load the bases. WNCC scored their first run as Max Adam was patient and got a 4-pitch walk to make it 8-1. Jack Jones scored another run on a fielder's choice hit followed by Jordan Rollins scoring another run when he reached on an error. But that was they could manage in the inning to trail 8-3.

            Mesa added three insurance runs in the eighth to get the win.

            WNCC managed just three hits in the contest. Eli Hernandez had a double while Howard and McCafferty each had singles.

            WNCC used three pitchers in the contest. Aiden Schultz suffered the loss, going five innings in giving up five hits and eight runs. JJ Garza followed with two innings of work with allowing just a hit and striking out three. Joseph Toubeaux tossed the final inning in allowing three hits, three runs, with one strikeout.

            WNCC will have Friday off before facing Luna Community College on Saturday and Sunday in New Mexico in Empire Conference games.

WNCC              000 003 000 – 3 3 4

Mesa               131 120 03x – 11 9 1

LP – Aiden Schultz.

2B – Eli Hernandez.