COOLIDGE, Ariz. -- After dropping two one-run games, the Western Nebraska Community College softball team responded with a dazzling pitching performance from Bianca Duran to drop Clackamas Community College 5-2.
WNCC opened the day with two energy-packed losses, falling 1-0 in eight innings to Central Arizona College. The Cougars then dropped a 5-4 contest to Clackamas late afternoon.
In the final game of the night, Duran went all seven innings, scattering nine hits while striking out five and not walking a batter. Duran faced just 31 batters with first-pitch strikes.
Neither team scored a run in the first four innings. In the fifth, the Cougars busted open the offensive with five runs on four hits. Sarah Hawryluk opened the contest with a double to centerfield and scored on a double by Gering's Kayla Romey. Romey came around to score on a dropped fly for a 2-0 lead.
WNCC wasn't through as Kasey Cash and Bree Bitton each had run-scoring singles to push the lead to 5-0.
Clackamas came back and scored twice in the fifth on two hits and an error, but Duran got the last two batters of the inning fly out and ground out.
Offensively, the Cougars pounded out seven hits. Hawryluk and Cash each pounded out two hits each. Cash also had a run scored, RBI, and two stolen bases, while Hawryluk had a run scored, a double, and two stolen bases. Bitton also had two RBIs in the win.
The first two games were also close contests with WNCC having changes to win both. In the Central Arizona contest, Duran struck out six and scattered six hits, before giving up the game-winning run in the eighth inning.
WNCC pounded out just three hits in the contest, but still had changes to scratch across a run, especially in the sixth when Hawryluk singled and Mariah Shepherd reached base after being plunked by a pitch. Jocelyn Stubbs later walked to load the bases, but couldn't get a run across.
Both teams entered the eighth inning scoreless with the international tiebreaker in effect. Mariah Faifer started at second and was sacrificed to third, but was stranded. Central Arizona did the same thing, but scored the winning run with two outs.
Hawrlyuk had two of hits while Cash had the other hit.
The Cougars one-run loss to Clackamas saw a tight contest. Clackamas took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the second and third innings. WNCC came back to plate four runs in the fourth inning. The runs were supplied Duran and Cash, who each nailed 2-run home runs to put the Cougars up 4-2.
WNCC couldn't hold the lead as Clackamas scored three times in the bottom of the fourth on four hits and an error.
Offensively, Duran led the way with a 1-for-2 contest with a home run and two RBIs, Cash also had a home run and two RBIs.
Amanda Jones took the loss in the circle, going 3 2/3 innings in allowing five runs on six hits. She also struck out two and walked three. Aria Agle finished off the game by scattering two hits with a walk and a strikeout.
WNCC will play three more games on Friday as they open play in the Central Arizona Tournament. The Cougars will face Scottsdale Community College at 9 a.m., followed by Arizona Western College at 11 a.m. and then Howard College at 7 p.m.
First Game
WNCC 000 000 00 -- 0 3 0
Central Ariz. 000 000 01 -- 1 5 1
LP -- Bianca Duran.
Second Game
WNCC 000 400 0 -- 4 6 2
Clackamas 011 200 x -- 5 8 0
Clackamas 011 200 x -- 5 8 0
LP -- Amanda Jones; HR -- Duran, Kasey Cash.
Third Game
WNCC 000 050 0 -- 5 7 3
Clackamas 000 020 0 -- 2 9 2
Clackamas 000 020 0 -- 2 9 2
WP -- Duran; 2B -- Kayla Romey, Sarah Hawryluk.
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