WNC Baseball: Pool homers twice as Wildcats split to open SWAC play

Corey Pool homered as Western Nevada College slammed five extra-base hits in defeating College of Southern Idaho, 7-4, in its Scenic West Athletic Conference baseball opener Thursday at John L. Harvey Field in Carson City.
CSI, however, bounced back to take game two, using a small-ball approach that its counterparts have succeeded with in the past. The Golden Eagles beat out three bunt singles and executed two sacrifice bunts to overcome home runs by Pool and Kody Reynolds in an 8-4 victory.

"That's a big part of the game and they did an excellent job at it throughout the game," Reynolds said.
The outcome in the opening game was ultimately decided by what the Wildcats did with their final out in the fifth inning with the score tied at 4.

"We like to grind like we're behind," Pool said. "Even in a tie game or up by one, we're still going to play like we're down. That's our mentality; that's our approach at the plate."

After the Golden Eagles retired the first two Wildcat hitters in the fifth inning, WNC went to work on a winning rally. Reynolds started the rally with an infield hit and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Next, freshman Tim Lichty's pop fly fell in between three fielders in left field for a single and a 5-4 WNC lead.
"It was a little bleeder. That's baseball, and it happens," Lichty said.

Then, Pool capped the three-run rally with a home run to right-center field.

"The wind was blowing out, so I didn't think I could hit it over the scoreboard without wind," Pool said. "It was a 3-1 fastball down the middle and I just sat back, knew that it was a lot slower than the first pitcher and wanted to make sure about letting it get to me and then think about hitting it to center field."

Sophomore reliever Connor Zwetsch gave up two baserunners in the final inning but retired Harrison Ramey on a fly ball to center fielder Jake Bennett to end the game. Zwetsch, who has yet to give up an earned run, ran his record to 2-0.

CSI took advantage of Max Karnos' control issues in the first inning. Karnos filled the bases with three walks, setting up Ramey for a two-out, two-run single to right field.

The Wildcats came back in their half of the first inning, capitalizing on Mackay Nelson's wildness. After issuing free passes to David Modler and Bradley Lewis and a sacrifice bunt by Jake Bennett, Reynolds delivered a two-run double down the left-field line. Lichty followed with a RBI triple to give WNC a 3-2 lead.

The Golden Eagles used two singles to lead off the third inning to knot the score at 3. Jordan Freese scored the tying run on Ramey's groundout.

WNC went ahead, 4-3, when DJ Peters tripled off the fence in right-center field and crossed the plate on a passed ball.

CSI chased Karnos in the fifth inning after Cole Walters reached on a walk, advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw and moved to third on a groundout to the right side of the infield. Zwetsch retired the first hitter he faced, but Kody Garvin delivered a two-out, game-tying single that just eluded the glove of diving second baseman Modler into right field.

In 4 1/3 innings, Karnos gave up four hits and three earned runs. He walked five and fanned four.
Reynolds was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Lichty was 2 for 3 with a run scored and two RBI.
"It wasn't the best game we've played, but we'll take the win," Lichty said. "I know I was a little nervous to come out for the first conference game ... a little pumped."

In the second game, the Wildcats executed a double steal with runners on first and third bases in the first inning, sending Bennett home with the first run.

The Wildcats also manufactured their second run in the third inning. After an infield single by Austin Andrews and a walk to Modler, Lewis' groundout to second moved each runner up 90 feet.
Matt Young was in command through the first three innings, permitting just one baserunner.

However, three well-placed hits by CSI created a jam for Young in the fourth inning. Ethan Ibarra started the rally with a bloop single just out of the reach of a hard-charging Bennett in center field. Waters then put down a bunt on the first-base side that Young and catcher Brandon Lapointe couldn't come up with in time. Cody Jenkins' single loaded the bases with no outs, and the big inning continued when Bodie Cooper's hot smash glanced off Reynolds' glove and wound up in center field, plating two runs. Mikey Ortega executed a sacrifice bunt to bring home Jenkins with the go-ahead run.

CSI's 3-2 lead didn't last long as Pool led off the Wildcat fourth with a home run over the fence in left-center field. It was Pool's fifth homer of the season and third in three games.

But CSI answered with three more runs in the fifth to go in front 6-3. Cooper knocked in one of the runs with a triple into the gap in right-center field but was thrown out at the plate while trying for an inside-the-park homer.
Reynolds just missed tying the game in the fifth when his long fly ball was hauled in by right fielder Jake Boyd near the fence.

Young (3-2) tired in the seventh inning, giving up three hits prior to WNC coach D.J. Whittemore electing to go to his bullpen. The freshman lefty from Reno High School allowed 11 hits and one walk while striking out five.
CSI starting pitcher Zack Draper (3-0) rebounded after taking a smash to his leg from Reynolds in the first inning. Draper was on his back for several minutes before getting back on his feet, taking a few warm-up tosses and then continuing.

"I was glad to see him get up. I never want to see anyone get hurt," Reynolds said. "He was a bulldog and a big part of their team."

Draper lasted seven innings, allowing only five hits while striking out five and walking one. Right-hander Cameron Coombs relieved Draper in the eighth and gave up a solo homer to Reynolds, trimming CSI's lead to 8-4.

"It felt good to not hit one at somebody for once," Reynolds said. "I just need to stay relaxed and have fun."
Sophomore Thomas Kerr worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the Wildcats, allowing two hits and striking out three. Reynolds led WNC's six-hit attack with two hits, a run scored and a RBI.

The teams will conclude their four-game series with a twin bill starting at 11 a.m. Friday at John L. Harvey Field.