WOLFPACK EDGED BY BUTLER

YOUNGWOOD, Pa. - Despite seven strong innings from starter Trevor Nelson on the mound and a 4-for-5 day at the plate by Tyler Kuhns, the Westmoreland County Community College baseball team couldn't overcome an early deficit and fell 4-2 to visiting Butler CCC Tuesday afternoon in the WPCC opener.

The Pioneers jumped on the board early on a two-out single in the first inning that brought in two unearned runs. The Wolfpack trimmed the Butler lead in half in the third inning when Justin Brestensky hit a one-out triple and scored on an RBI single by Kuhns to make it 2-1 after three innings.

Butler extended their lead to 4-1 in the next inning with a two-run double, although only one run was earned following a Wolfpack error. Westmoreland plated their second run in the fifth frame, as Kuhns was once again in the middle of the action. He smacked a one-out single, took second on an error and came home on an RBI single by Nico Cuello to bring the Wolfpack within two at 4-2.

Westmoreland had their chances to close the gap the rest of the game, as they had two runners on in each of the final four innings, but Butler always managed to get out of the innings. In the ninth, the Wolfpack once again put two runners on base, including a double by Kuhns, but a strikeout finished the game and Butler escaped with the hard-fought win.

Nelson had another strong effort on the hill, throwing seven innings and allowing four runs, one earned, on eight hits while striking out four. Brandon McCormick relieved him and tossed two scoreless frames.

With the sticks, Kuhns had four of the team's eight hits while also knocking in one and scoring one. Cuello reached base three times with his RBI single and two walks, while Nelson and Mason Sarsfield also had singles and one walk each.

Westmoreland is scheduled to return to the field Thursday when they take on CCAC-Boyce.