With winds gusting to around 40 mph on Saturday, the Western Nebraska Community College and Southeast Community College had an offensive show in an Empire Conference showdown.
                The two teams on the day combined for 67 runs, 43 hits, 17 home runs, 15 doubles, and the two teams used 14 pitchers.
On top of all that, Vaughn Wilson became the second player in Cougar history to hit for the cycle during the second game of the double header when Wilson had a single, double, triple, and home run with three runs scored and three RBIs. The only other player to hit for the cycle in Cougar history was Brian Trivette in 2002.
The first game saw WNCC fall behind 22-2 before mounting a comeback and nearly kept the game alive instead of getting run-ruled. The fifth-inning rally fell short with runners on base as Southeast claimed the 22-10 win.
The game featured nine home runs including a first-inning grand slam from Southeast. Southeast had six home runs while WNCC had three off the bats of Tucker Deal, Jin Kobayakawa, and Cooper Wilson.
                The second game resembled a football score as Southeast won 21-14 with the teams combining for 35 runs, 28 hits, eight home runs and nine doubles.
                That was a game where no lead was safe. Southeast jumped out to an 8-0 lead after an inning and half. WNCC came roaring back to grab their first of the four-game weekend series with seven in the second and two in the third for an 8-7 lead.
                The second inning where WNCC score seven runs started as the Cougars loaded the bases on a single by Kensei Oikawa and three straight walks to force in the first run. Another walk force in a second run. Vaughn Wilson then doubled in two runs to make it 8-4 followed by Cooper Wilson doubling to score two more. Cooper Wilson scored the final run of the frame on a Oikawa single.
                WNCC scored twice in the third for the lead as Will Harbison led off with a solo home run. Then, with two outs, Vaughn Wilson blasted a solo shot to give the Cougars the lead.
                The lead didn’t last long as Southeast scored nine runs over the next three innings, including a 6-run fourth to take a 14-9 lead. Southeast led 18-9 lead. WNCC fought game to make it an 18-14 deficit with five in the seventh with the big hit coming from Iikawa with a 3-run home run with two outs. Cooper Burges followed with a solo home run.
                Southeast added three late runs for the final 21-14.
                WNCC had four players finish with multiple hits. Vaughn Wilson was 4-for-5 with his cycle with three RBIs and three runs scored. He as also had two walks. Oikawa also had four hits in six official plate appearances with a home run, four RBIs, and two runs scored.
                Cooper Wilson was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs while Burgess had two hits with a home run and two runs scored.
                WNCC utilized four pitchers as Allard Helms went four innings in scattering 11 hits and giving up 14 runs with two strikeouts. Zane Hendrickx, Alex Renfrow, and Ian Grafmank followed as the three combined on six strikeouts and allowing just seven hits.
                The first game was a wild one as well as Southeast scored nine in the first inning but saw WNCC plate two in the bottom of the frame as Cooper Wilson had a 2-run home run.
                Southeast came back with two in the second, six in the third and five in the fourth for a 22-2 lead. WNCC didn’t quite as they fought back to try to avoid being run-ruled with a gutsy effort.
                WNCC scored four in the fourth all with two outs. Catcher Gladysh started things with a walk followed by a Calab Caciari followed with a single. Both scored on a Jase Satterfield single. Tucker Deal then made it 22-6 with a 2-run home run.
                WNCC needed seven runs to keep the game going in the bottom of the fifth and nearly did it. Garrison Burns started the frame with a double and scored on a Jin Kobayakawa 2-run home run. Ren Sato then doubled. WNCC followed with three straight walks to force in a third run. Matt Levesque then had a single to score another runner to make it 22-10. With the bases juiced, the Cougars couldn’t get another run in.
                WNCC was out hit in the contest 16-9. Deal was the only Cougar with multiple hits with a double and home run with three RBIs and a run scored.
                WNCC will return to action on Thursday when they travel to McCook Community College for a Empire Conference doubleheader followed by a home contest with McCook on Saturday.
 
Game 1
Southeast        926 50 – 22 16 1
WNCC                200 44 – 10 9 1
LP – Rocco Harmon.
2B – Garrison Burns, Ren Sato, Tucker Deal
HR – Cooper Wilson, Jin Kobayakawa, Tucker Deal.
 
Game 2
Southeast        350 613 021 – 21 18 1
WNCC                072 000 500 – 14 16 4
LP – Allard Helms.
2B – Cooper Wilson, Vaughn Wilson.
3B – Vaughn Wilson.
HR – Cooper Burgess, Kensei Oikawa, Vaughn Wilson, Will Harbison.