Megan Bourdon had two home runs and Bree Bitton hammered another as the Western Nebraska Community College softball team finished the Region IX portion of its softball schedule in shining fashion Friday afternoon at Volunteer claiming a doubleheader from Lamar Community College.
The Cougars withstood 50 mph gusts gusting to rightfield on the day in sweeping Lamar 10-2 and 8-0. The wins push the Cougars record to 42-13 and 17-3 in conference play. WNCC has won the conference title outright three of the last four years (2008, 2010, 2011) and they were co-champions in 2009.
"Our goal always is to try to be the number one seed and win the conference outright and put ourselves in good situations for the tournament," WNCC coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said. "It all comes down to one weekend and I truly believe anyone in this league can win if they get hot for one weekend. Three are still games left to see who will be on our side of the bracket. But I am just proud of the girls because it is a long season. The conditions weren't great today because we had to push the game back [because of Lamar showing up late], but it is nice they closed the conference season out with a couple of wins." Winn-Ratliff thought as the game went along, her team started heating up offensively.
"I thought we had a a slow start in game one. They took a lead but we really didn't panic," she said. "I thought Ashton had a few bumps in the road and they [Lamar] made a few adjustments. Offensively, we started to be disciplined and we got a couple breaks our way with the wind. We had some fortunate breaks and we started to get hot. We are sort of a team where it seems when one person is hitting well, we all start hitting well. It is contagious for us.
"In game two I thought Amanda threw extremely well. We had some momentum , Megan Bourdon had some really good at bats for. But, we still have to get better with runners in scoring position. We are not making the best decisions and having the best at bats, but we are finding ways to win and right know that is what is important."
WNCC started rough in the first game. Lamar took an early lead in the top of the third on two hits, including a run-scoring triple by Brittani Richins. The Cougars came back in the bottom of the inning with three runs on four hits. Bourdon started things with a double followed by run-scoring singles by Jacqui Cappuccilli and Jocelyn Stubbs.
The lead stayed that way until the fifth inning when WNCC plated four more runs on five hits. Mariah Faifer had a 2-run double in the inning. Bourdon also had a double for a 7-2 lead.
The Cougars put the game away via the 8-run rule. Bitton started the inning with a one-out solo home run to right field. Aria Agle Amanda Saldivar followed with a singles and both scored on a Bourdon double.
WNCc finished the contest with 16 hits in the contest, including seven going for extra bases. Bourdon paced the team with a 3-for-4 contest with three doubles, a run scored and a RBI. Five other Cougars also finished with two hits.
Bitton went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored, Faifer went 2-for-4 with two double and RBIs. Saldivar also chipped in two singles while scoring two runs. Sarah Hawryluk went 2-for-4, while Cappuccilli went 2-for-2 with a double.
Ashton Hughes picked up the win in the circle, going six innings. Hughes surrounded two runs on just four hits. She also allowed two free passes and struck out nine.
WNCC was even more impressive in game two. Amanda Jones tossed a 2-hitter in limiting Lamar to just five base runners. Offensively, the Cougars ripped the ball for 11 hits, including four extra base hits.
WNCC scored a single run in the first and then went up 3-0 in the second after Bourdon pounded a 2-run home run over the left centerfield fence.
The Cougars added two more runs in the third as Stubbs singled and scored on a Bitton double. Sarah Hawryluk then singled in the second run for the 5-0 lead.
WNCC finished off the game in the fifth as Agle started things with a double to left field and scored on a triple by Hughes, which hit the upper half of the fence. Bourdon then ended the game with her second home run of the day, a 2-run shot to left centerfield.
Bourdon finished the contest going 2-for-2 with two home runs, two walks, three runs scored and four RBIs. Hawryluk went 2-for-2 also wiht two singles and a RBI. Agle also collected two hits, with two doubles and a run scored, while Hughes went 2-for-2 with a triple, three runs scored and a RBI.
WNCC, 42-13, will be back in action against Iowa Western Community College on Monday in Kearney. They will then wrap up the regular season by hosting Luna Community College on Saturday and Sunday at Volunteer Field.
First Game
Lamar 002 000 -- 2 4 1
WNCC 003 043 --- 10 16 3
WP -- Ashton Hughes, LP -- Kelsey Plowman; 2B -- WNCC (Megan Bourdon 3, Jacqui Cappuccilli, Mariah Faifer 2), Lamar (Plowman, Monique Brown); 3B -- Lamar (Brittani Richins); HR -- WNCC (Bree Bitton).
Second Game
Lamar 000 00 -- 0 2 0
WNCC (42-13) 122 03 -- 8 11 0
WP -- Amanda Jones; LP -- Krystal Krietemeyer; 2B -- WNCC (Bitton, Aria Agle 2); 3B -- WNCC (Hughes); HR -- WNCC (Bourdon 2).
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