SWCC roundup: Mens hoops win region opener; baseball loses two

Spartan men beat IWCC

COUNCIL BLUFFS — A banner second half paved the way for Southwestern Community College mens basketball to beat Iowa Western 81-76 in a Region XI tournament first round mens basketball game Tuesday.

SWCC trailed by seven at halftime but outscored the hosts 52-40 in the second half to move on in the tournament trail.

James Kelley led the Spartans with 21 points, Donzell Johnson added 15 with nine rebounds while Nate Duckworth and Joe Kearney added 13 each.

Committing just seven turnovers in the game, the Spartans were good at the free throw line, shooting 75% (18-24). They scored well in the paint and off turnovers.

The Spartans improved to 11-11 on the season.

SWCC baseball falls twice to Reivers

COUNCIL BLUFFS — Losing by two runs in one game and 12-2 in the other, the Southwestern baseball team came home with two losses to Iowa Western Community College on the road Tuesday at IWCC’s Doc Ross Field.

Leading SWCC at the plate was Carlos Muniz with two hits, two RBIs and one run scored in a 7-5 loss. Joel Sampson, Colby Page, Giancarlos Figueroa and Ernies Lozados tallied one hit each as part of a seven-hit effort for the Spartans, and IWCC had six hits in the game.

Josiah Young was the losing pitcher for SWCC, giving up two hits, three earned runs, four walks and two strikeouts in five innings of work.

Fourteen hits for IWCC was the difference in a 12-2 win for the Reivers against SWCC. Alec Patino had three hits in leading the home team’s bats.

Brant Hogue recorded the win for the Reivers on the hill as they pitched a one-hitter on the day. Owen McClung was the losing pitcher for SWCC as it gave up 14 hits, 12 runs, nine earned runs, two walks and five strikeouts in the setback, falling to 8-22 on the season.