TRINIDAD, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College split a conference doubleheader with Trinidad State Junior College on Sunday dropping to 5-6 on the season and 2-2 on conference play.
In the opener, Trinidad State scored six, sixth-inning runs to sting the Cougars 7-4. In the nightcap, Amanda Jones tossed a four-hitter in leading the Cougars to the 10-2 win.
WNCC coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said they played alright, but they need to learn to stay focused for the entire game.
“I thought we came out and played well but lost focus in the sixth inning and one bad inning determined the outcome of game one,” she said. “In game two we pitched better, played better defense and had better plate approaches and the outcome was in our favor.”
Game two was definitely a game the Cougars can build upon. WNCC smashed 10 hits, including doubles from Bianca Duran, Jocelyn Stubbs, Kasey Cash and Aria Agle. What also proved beneficial was the team hit the long ball, getting home runs from Cash and Mariah Faifer.
On top of that, Jones threw one of her best games of the year. The sophomore from Las Vegas, Nev., went the distance in scattering four hits and striking out seven for the win.
“Amanda Jones threw really well and having Kasey Cash back in the lineup as showed a spark,” Winn-Ratliff said. “We played better as a team in Game two.”
WNCC opened the offense as Duran started things with a 2-out single and then scored on a single by Stubbs.
The Cougars added a single run in the second on three hits and then went up 5-0 with three runs in the third. Stubbs started things with a double and game around to score on a Mariah Shepherd single. Cash then blasted a 2-run home run over left field for the early lead.
WNCC added four more runs in the sixth on five hits with all the runs and hits coming with two outs. Faifer started things with a home run followed by three singles and a double by Duran for the 9-2 lead.
The Cougar’s final run came in the seventh as Agle doubled in Cash, who also had a double in the contest.
Cash led the Cougars with a 3-for-4 contest, including a double, home run, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Also collecting two hits each were Duran, Stubbs, Shepherd, Agle and Danielle Hearn.
WNCC didn’t play badly in the first game either take away the Trinidad’s sixth inning where they scored six runs on six hits to sting the Cougars.
Up until the sixth, the Cougars were dominating play with a 4-0 lead and a strong pitching performance from Duran. WNCC opened the scoring in the first as a Stubbs’ two-out single scored Sarah Hawryluk.
WNCC added two more runs in the second with the big lead-off triple by Agle for a 3-0 lead before adding another run in the fourth.
WNCC had chances to score more runs in the fifth when they had two singles and walk with two outs but couldn’t get a run in.
The Cougars pounded out 10 hits in the game. Hawryluk was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Faifer was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Agle had the only extra base hit with a triple.
Duran suffered the loss by allowing seven runs in six innings of work. Duran struck out four and did not walk a batter.
WNCC will be back in action this weekend when they travel to Concordia, Kan., to compete in the Cloud County Tournament. Winn-Ratliff said they will take this week in practice to fine tune areas that need worked on.
“We need to learn to finish a game and putting teams away,” she said. “We also need to be able to make adjustments at the plate and to be able to make big plays when needed. [Focus of practice this week] will be to regroup, work on attacking the inside pitch, and get more defensive reps.”
First Game
WNCC 120 100 0 – 4 10 1
Trinidad 001 006 x – 7 11 4
LP – Bianca Duran; 2B – Aria Agle.
Second Game
WNCC 113 004 1 – 10 10 2
Trinidad 000 002 0 – 2 4 1
WP – Amanda Jones; 2B – Duran, Jocelyn Stubbs, Kasey Cash,Agle; HR – Kasey Cash, Mariah Faifer.
No comments:
Post a Comment