STRONG PITCHING LIMITS WOLFPACK IN LOSSES TO FINGER LAKES

YOUNGWOOD, Pa. - The Westmoreland county Community College baseball team ran into a pair of outstanding pitching performances Saturday in their home opener, as Finger Lakes CC scored 5-0 and 11-1 (six innings) victories.

In the first game, the Wolfpack matched up Trevor Nelson against Finger Lakes' Tanner Cooper, who is committed to play at Penn State University next fall. The visitors scored quickly with a triple and a single in the first inning, but Nelson limited the damage to just one run with help from a unique 1-5-3 double play. That wouild be the only earned run Nelson would give up, although Finger Lakes did manage three unearned runs in the fifth and another in the seventh to push their lead to 5-0.

The Wolfpack offense would be held at bay through the game by Cooper. They did mount a threat in the fifth ining when Nelson reached on an error and Aaron Nickelson singled with one out. But Cooper struck out the next two batters, part of his 16 for the game, and Finger Lakes went on to the win.

In the second game, the teams exchanged zeroes through the first three innings before Finger Lakes plated four runs in the fourth. The visitors would strike for seven more runs in the sixth inning before Westmoreland managed one run in the bottom of the inning and Finger Lakes picked up the game two win as well.

The Wolfpack had three hits in the nightcap, including an RBI single by Tyler Kuhns in the sixth inning following three walks. It was one of two hits by Kuhns in the game, while Justin Brestensky had the other and he also walked and scored the Westmoreland run. Brestensky was the starting pitcher as well, throwing five innings and striking out six in the setback.

Westmoreland will be in action again Tuesday and Wednesday when they host Jamestown CC in a three-game series. The teams will play a single game on Tuesday at 4:30 pm and return to the field on Wednesday for a doubleheader at 2 pm.