WC advances to championship game with comeback win

A grand slam by Robin Villeneuve in the fifth inning put Weatherford College in the lead for good Sunday afternoon at Roger Williams Ballpark, beating New Mexico Junior College 8-5 in the Region V Baseball Tournament semifinal. The win put the Coyotes in the championship game Monday at 5 p.m. 

It was Weatherford's 17th win in a row, giving the Coyotes a 49-9 overall record. 

NMJC pitcher Max Swenson held Weatherford to one hit over the first four innings and the Thunderbird offense scratched out four runs through five. But a Dayton Tockey solo home run, an RBI single by Chase Pendley and Villeneuve's grand slam gave WC a 6-4 lead by the end of the fifth. 

Joey Baran knocked in two more runs in the seventh with an RBI double. 

Pendley was 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Jack Arthur was 2-for-3 with two runs and two walks. 

Cole Brady earned the win in relief, allowing one hit and one run while striking out three in two-plus innings of work. 

WC can win the tournament title and an automatic berth in the JUCO World Series with a win Monday. A Weatherford loss would force a winner-take-all game Tuesday.