Sunday, March 13, 2011

WNCC sweeps Colby, Stubbs hits 8th, 9th home runs of season

Ashton Hughes
          COLBY, Kan. -- The Western Nebraska Community College softball team continued its hot bats, pounding out 28 hits in a doubleheader sweep over Colby Community College on Sunday.
                In the opener, Jocelyn Stubbs connected on her eighth and ninth home runs of the year, including driving in seven runs in leading the Cougars to a 10-2 win over the Trojans. Game two was even more impressive as the Cougars received home runs from Megan Bourdon and Ashton Hughes in registering a solid 15-9 win.
                The two wins pushed the records to 15-6 on the season as they return home to host Black Hills State University on Thursday before hosting Dawson Community College on Saturday and Sunday.
                Sunday wins, however, was a combination of timely hitting. In the opener, the Cougars controlled the Trojans from the opening pitch as Ashton Hughes tosses a 2-hitter in striking out nine batters.
                Offensively, the Cougars pounded out 12 hits in scoring the 10 runs. WNCC offensive attack started in the third inning as Allie Alverson started things with a double. After singles by Jacqui Cappuccilli, Jordan Schoepflin, and Amanda Jones to load the bases, Stubbs hit her eighth home run of the year, a grand slam to center field to put WNCC up 5-0.
Jocelyn Stubbs
Then, in the fifth inning, Stubbs hit her team-leading ninth home run of the season with a 3-run shot that scored Cappuccilli and Schoepflin to open the inning.
                Stubbs finished the game going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, seven RBIs and two home runs.
                Four other Cougars also recorded a multi-hit game. Jacqui Cappuccilli and Jordan Schoepflin each went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, Bree Bitton went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a double, and Sarah Hawryluk also had two hits with a run scored. Allie Alverson chipped in a double as well.
                WNCC fell behind early in game two, trailing 7-3 after three innings. The Cougars, however, started hitting up with three runs each in the fourth and sixth innings to go up 9-7. They then put the game away in the seventh inning by plating six runs.
                WNCC ignited in the second inning as Hughes led off with a double followed by Sarah Hawryluk ripping a single. Both came home on a Megan Bourdon home run to center field to take a 3-2 lead. Colby came right back in the bottom of the inning to grab a 5-3 lead before leading 7-3.
                The Cougars sliced away at the lead, scoring three times in the fourth on no hits and taking advantage of two errors and a walk. WNCC took the lead in the sixth with another three runs, including a run-scoring single by Bree Bitton.
                WNCC opened up the game in the seventh. The Cougars started the inning with three straight singles by Bourdon, Amanda Jones and Cappuccilli to load the bases. Hughes capped off the inning by blasting a home run to score Bitton.
                Six different Cougars finished multiple hits. Bourdon and Hughes each finished with three hits. Bourdon had three runs scored, and a home run, while Hughes was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
                Cappuccilli, Bitton, Jones, and Mariah Faifer also had two hits. Cappuccilli went 2-for-3 with three runs scored with two singles, and two free passes. Jones and Bitton also had two runs scored.
                Hughes picked up the win, throwing 4 1/3 innings in relief of Amanda Jones. Hughes scattered two hits, walked two and struck out six. Jones went 2 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs while striking out three.
                Thursday's home opener against Black Hills State is slated to begin at 1 p.m. at Volunteer Field in Scottsbluff.

First Game
WNCC                                   005 050 0 -- 10 12 1
Colby                                     000 200 0 -- 2 2 2
WP -- Ashton Hughes; 2B -- Bree Bitton, Allie Alverson; HR -- Jocelyn Stubbs 2.

Second Game
WNCC (15-6)                      030 303 6 -- 15 16 2
Colby                                     232 002 0 -- 9 10 3
WP -- Hughes; 2B -- Hughes.

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