[March 9] The
Western Nebraska Community College softball team went 4-0 over Dawson Community
College in games Sunday and Monday at Volunteer Field in Scottsbluff.
On
Sunday, the Cougars pounded out 15 hits in registering a 12-8 win over the
Bucs. The second game saw WNCC plate six fifth-inning runs to earn a run-ruled
12-4 win
Monday's
games also saw plenty of offense, but the Cougars snuck out two wins. In game
one, Jessica Ball had two home runs and the Cougars came back for an 8-7 win.
The second game saw the Cougars register a 14-6 six-inning win to move their
record to 17-7 overall.
Ball,
who finished Monday with two home runs and six RBIs, said they did alright, but
they could have done better.
"We
did good today but I think we can pick it up a little bit more," the
freshman from xxx xxx said.
it is
important to build off of these wins because it will get us pumped up for
bigger games in our conference and I think we will do good."
The one thing the Cougars have to
learn still is to put a team away, something they didn't do this weekend very
much. At times, the Cougars looked unstoppable, but then they let Dawson make
comebacks. Ball said they will get better as the season comes and the college
inexperience is slowly wearing off.
"Just
because we are young, we are getting into the new groove of things as the
season goes along," she said. "I think we are starting to get a lot
of leadership know and I think we will pick it up some more."
Ball
said that getting four wins this weekend at home was nice and each win they
get, it helps with the experience of this team.
"it
is really important to get the two wins [on Monday]," she said.
"Every time we get a win i think it pumps us up even more. These wins will
feed us for the other games. I am just excited for the rest of the season. Each
game we get stronger and stronger."
The
first game Monday was a game where WNCC held an early 4-0 lead after scoring
three times in the third 2-run home run from Ball. After that, Dawson came back
to grab a 6-4 lead. The Cougars fought back, scoring once in the fifth and then
three times in the sixth to take an 8-6 lead.
The
sixth saw Ball and Shelby McGraw lead off the inning with back-to-back home
runs.
Jordan
Smith then finished off the seventh. First, Smith gave up a solo home run to McKenzie
Bassett. After that, Smith struck out one, and then induced a fly ball and a
groundout for the win.
Smith
tossed the final 3 1/3 innings for the win, scattering four hits, allowing
three runs, and striking out two. McGraw started the game in the circle,
allowing four runs on six hits and striking out three.
WNCC
pounded out eight hits to 10 for Dawson. Angel Council and Ball led the way
each with two singles and three RBIs. Ball had two home runs.
WNCC
pounded out 19 hits in the second game and quickly took control of the contest,
scoring twice in the first and the plating eight in the second for a 10-0 lead.
The second inning was highlighted by 10 hits, including a 2-run home run by
Alysa Linford.
The
Cougars saw the lead sliced in half 10-5 in the fifth. The Cougars came back
with two in the fifth to go up 12-5 and then put the game away in the sixth
with two run-scoring singles by Council and Ball to end the game.
Davis
picked up the win, going 4 2/3 innings in allowing five hits, two runs, and
Striking out one. RaVae Herrera also saw action in the circle, going 1 1/3
innings in allowing four runs on six hits.
The
Cougars 19-hit attack Council, Ball, MCGraw, and Courtney Cloud all getting
three hits. Ball and Council each had three RBIs and two runs scored, while
McGraw had two RBIs. Linford had two hits with four RBIs. Lindsay Guymon also
had two hits with two runs scored and a RBI.
Sunday's
first game saw WNCC fell behind 1-0 after one inning before plating six runs in
the second and five in the third to grab an 11-1 lead. Dawson sliced the lead
to 11-8 with four in the fourth and three in the fifth.
The
Cougars settled down in the sixth and seventh as Madison Davis came in relief
of McGraw in allowing just one hit and striking out three to get the save.
McGraw picked up the win in going 4 1/3 innings in allowing six hits, eight
runs and striking out two.
Offensively,
the Cougars pounded out 15 hits. McGraw and Kelsey Bernhardt each had three
hits. McGraw had a double, three RBIs, two runs scored, and two stolen bases,
while Bernhardt had three runs scored and three stolen bases.
WNCC
started the second game strong, scoring four times in the first on five hits.
The big hit in the inning was a 2-run double by Linford for a 4-0 lead and then
added single runs in the third and fourth for a 6-0 lead. Dawson sliced the
lead to 6-4 with a four-run fifth. WNCC finally put the game away in the sixth
with six runs on three hits.
Linford
was the only Cougar with two hits. The freshman had a double, two RBIs, and a
run scored. Ball, McGraw, and Gonzales
each had two RBIs. McGraw, Bernhardt, and Courtney Cloud each had two stolen
bases.
Jordan
Smith picked up the win, going 4 1/3 innings in allowing three hits, three
runs, and striking out five. Davis picked up the save, allowing two hits and
striking out one.
WNCC
(17-7) will next be in action Wednesday when they travel to Lamar Community
College for a conference game. WNCC's next home game is March 21 when they host
Otero Junior College.
Monday's Games
First Game
Dawson 000
420 1 -- 7 10 0
WNCC 103
013 x -- 8 8 1
WP -- Jordan Smith, LP -- Bryce Mitchell; HR -- WNCC
(Jessica Ball 2, Shelby McGraw), Dawson (McKenzie Bassett).
Second Game
Dawson
(0-4) 002 031 -- 6 11 0
WNCC (17-7) 280
022 -- 14 19 2
WP -- Madison Davis; LP -- Cassidy Chester; 2B -- WNCC
(Ball, McGraw); HR -- WNCC (Alysa Linford).
Sunday's Games
First Game
Dawson 100
530 0 -- 8 7 2
WNCC 065
001 x -- 12 15 4
WP -- McGraw, LP -- Cassidy Chester, S -- Davis; 2B -- WNCC
(Hannah Gonzales 2, McGraw, RaVae Herrera), Dawson (Venessa Quintero, Jackie
Thomas, McKenzie Bassett); HR -- Dawson (Alissa Keeler, Haylee Hemmert).
Second Game
Dawson 000
04 -- 4 5 2
WNCC (15-7) 401
16-- 12 9 0
WP -- Smith, LP -- Chezerie Garcia, S -- Davis; 2B --
WNCC (Linford, McGraw), Dawson (Bryce Mitchell, Jamie Aiken); HR -- Dawson
(Bassett)
