ST. GEORGE, Utah – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team dropped two contests at the NJCAA national softball tournament Thursday, ending their season with a 43-21 record. The Cougars found the going tough against Miami Dade College sophomore Erika Bennett as she struck out 16 in a 7-0 win. WNCC was then eliminated in a tightly contested contest against Temple College 5-1.
Even with the two losses, the Cougars still kept their heads up, realizing that they were just one of 16 Division I softball teams to make the national tournament.
“We played good and we left it all on the field,” sophomore Brittany Chacon said. “No one gave up and we wanted to win at least one game. We just left it all on the field and played our hearts out.”
The Cougars goal of winning came up short with the two losses on Thursday, but this team proved that that they are one of the top 16 teams in the nation.
The big thing that
wasn’t going the Cougars way on the day was their offense. WNCC managed just six hits on the day, even though they had plenty of opportunities to score.
“Overall we had good times and we bad times,” sophomore pitcher Taylor Anderson said. “We came here the underdogs and we really proved ourselves. We went seven innings against some elite teams. This is the best in the nation and we came here and went all seven innings with them. We had opportunities to score, and our pitching staff did really well. That is all we can really do.”
Anderson, who recorded one of these six hits in the Temple game, said playing in the national tournament was something that she will cherish. Anderson transferred to WNCC this year and had just one year of eligibility. She owes everything to the team for the ride she received to play among the elite.
“I did well this year and I am glad I did,” she said. “I met coach [Winn-Ratlif] a week before school started and it is a blessing, I would have to say, because nobody else wanted me and coach did. She saw something in me that no one else did. We went to nationals. We are a bunch of misfits, but we proved ourselves completely today that we can hang with the best, and we are one of the best.”
The Cougars just couldn’t get any breaks on the day. In the team’s opener against Miami Dade, Bennett was sizzling in the circle striking out four of the Cougar’s first four batters. The Sharks then scored a lone run on an error to go up 1-0.
WNCC didn’t let the Sharks’ lone run stop them as they had a prime scoring opportunity in the second inning. With one out, Jacqui Cappuccilli walked. Ashton Hughes then beat out an infield single. WNCC couldn’t capitalize on the scoring chances.
That was all the base runners WNCC would get the rest of the game as Bennett recorded 15 straight outs. The loss pushed the Cougars to the loser’s bracket against No. 11 Temple College. Temple lost a first-round contest against Blinn College 8-7 in nine innings.
This game was a tight contest. Temple jumped on top with two runs in the first inning on two hits to take a 2-0 lead. WNCC sliced the lead in half as Hughes blasted a solo home over the left field fence.
Temple added two more runs in the third inning on three hits and a couple errors. The Leopards had opportunities to break the game open, but the Cougars’ came up big defensively as they recorded a force out from Jordan Schoepflin to Hughes at home before Schoepflin snagged a line drive.
WNCC had another prime scoring chance in the fourth inning as Schoepflin reached base on a fielder’s choice. Cappuccilli then singled to left field, but WNCC left both runners stranded.
WNCC had base hits in the last three innings, but just couldn’t string enough base hits together on the night.
Temple finished the game with nine hits and five runs, while the Cougars had just five hits and three errors.
Even though the Cougars fell short of their goal at the national tournament, the team remained up beat once they whipped the tears from their eyes.
“Before our season even started and when we stepped on campus, we said we were going to be Region IX Champions and go to the national tournament,” Chacon said. “We wrote it down on something that was very important to us and looked at it every day. We accomplished that goal.”
Chacon said no one can take away from the season that they had this season.
“We had our ups and downs this season, but we’ve gotten better,” she said. “We have great players and great talent. Coach Winn told us that we will leave a mark at WNCC. I can’t picture a season without these girls. We did great and I don’t think there were any other words that you could put it.”
Anderson, who took the loss in the first game and then finished the second game, said they just fell short.
“Our main goal was to make nationals. Being here is great. We didn’t care who we were playing, we just needed to go all out. There was nothing else that we could do,” Anderson said. “We just needed to execute more and get our bats going. But, also, the other pitchers are great here, too. It is alright. We held our own and I am proud of the team.”
Game One
WNCC 000 000 0 – 0 1 5
Miami 105 010 x – 7 10 1
WP – Erika Bennett; LP – Taylor Anderson.
Game Two
WNCC (43-21) 010 000 0 – 1 5 3
Temple College 103 100 x – 5 9 1
WP – Samantha Meyer; LP – Stephanie Townsend; 2B – Temple (Yesenia torres); HR – WNCC (Ashton Hughes).
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