St. GEORGE, Utah – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team’s history-making season came to an end Friday at the National Junior College Athletic Association softball tournament in St. George, Utah, Friday morning.
But, it didn’t end without the Cougars putting up a fight in falling 7-5 to Central Alabama Community College, which was the continuation of a game that was started Thursday before rain halted the game.
“I thought we started out rocky and not many people believed we could do it, not even ourselves,” sophomore Jacqui Cappuccilli said. “We just ended coming together once the season came around and we just came up short.”
The Cougars finished the season at 51-15 and were the second team in school history to notch 50 or more wins. The team also scored the most combined runs at the national tournament of the three qualifying teams, scoring seven runs in the two games.
“I thought we played OK. When you come down here you can’t make any errors,” sophomore Megan Bourdon said. “I think that first game [against Salt Lake] we came out kind of nervous. But, I am really proud of this team. I thought we accomplished a llot. At the beginning of the year I didn’t think we could. Getting here is a lot for this team. I am really proud of everybody.”
Cappuccilli and Bourdon were the big hitters on the day along with freshman Sarah Hawryluk. Hawryluk went 2-for-4 with two singles, but Cappuccilli and Bourdon each delivered home runs to help jumpstart a Cougar offensive that had trouble adjusting to the national tournament-type of pitching.
The Trojans led the Cougars 2-1 after two innings when rain stopped lay on Thursday. When the two teams resumed play on Friday, both teams offenses caught fire. Central Alabama went up went up 3-1 on a solo home run from Jade Sasser. WNCC cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the fifth as Bourdon smacked her 19th home run of the season over the left field fence.
CACC came right back in the bottom of the frame with two runs on two walks and a costly error for a 5-2 lead. The Trojans added two more suns in the sixth on a Shanice Hudson home run over the right field fence.
WNCC, as they have done n the past, fought back scoring three times in the top of the seventh. Amanda Saldivar led off the inning with a single followed by Bourdon earning a walk. Cappuccilli then delivered the big b low with a 3-run shot over the left field fence. That was the closest they would get to finish their season.
Ashton Hughes went two innings on Thursday, giving up two runs on three hits. Amanda Jones threw on Friday for an injured Hughes. Jones went four innings, five runs and five hits.
Bourdon went 2-for-2 with two runs scored with a double, home run and two walks. Cappuccilli went 1-for-2 with a home run.
Cappuccilli said that her two years at WNCC was filled with a lot of memories.
“It was a good two years,” Cappuccilli said. “It was a good tournament and good life experiences. Maybe next year the girls will win one. I think they will have a chance. It was a good season because we won 51 games and we learned from our losses.”
Bourdon, who is undecided of where she will be going next year, leaves WNCC as the season home run leader with 19 bombs this season.
“I think I did OK this season. she said. “I think our sophomores did really well. I am really proud of them and I will miss them a lot.”
WNCC (51-14) 100 010 3 – 5 6 2
CACC 110 122 x – 7 11 0
LP – Ashton Hughes; 2B – Megan Bourdon; HR – Bourdon, Jacqui Cappuccilli.
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