Bianca Duran smashed a grand slam ant the Western Nebraska Community College softball team received strong pitching performances in registering a doubleheader sweep over North Platte Community College Tuesday at Volunteer Field.
Duran notched her first collegiate grand slam as the freshman from Westminster, Colo., also earned the win in the circle in leading the Cougars to a 9-1 game one win.
The second game saw the Cougars pound out 17 hits, including a home run from Mariah Faifer in registering the run-shortened 12-4 win.
Duran said there was some nerves out there for this being the first home game, but they were excited to play at Volunteer Field.
“I felt there was nervous because we were really pumped up and excited to finally be home and have fans here,” she said. “I feel people were nervous, but after a couple innings the jitters went away.”
Duran said that this team can play even better, especially offensively as they are leaving too many runners on base. Still, this team has plenty of power as they pounded out 28 hits in the doubleheader, including six extra base hits.
“I feel at the right times we get the right hits but we have to get a little bit more consistent at being more patient at the plate and being more picky at what pitches we swing hat. Sometimes we are to antsy and it hurts us.”
Duran, however, had a solid performance as she went 5-for-6 in the two games with seven RBIs. She said that grand slam in the first game felt great and she just went with the pitch.
“That hit felt really good especially for my first at bat,” she said. “It definitely felt good because I didn’t have any strikes on me.“
The way the team played offensively Tuesday, shows plenty of talent on the team. The Cougars quickly took control in game one as Amanda Jones, Sarah Hawryluk and Gabi Palacios had three straight bunt singles to load the bases. That is when Duran blasted her fourth home run of the season, sending the fastball over the left field fence.
The Cougars added another run later as Aria Agle doubled home Mariah Shepherd for the quick 5-0 lead.
WNCC added two more runs in the second inning as Jones and Hawryluk reached base with bunt singles and both scored on singles by Palacios and Duran for a 7-0 lead.
North Platte scratched across a single run in the fourth as Jennifer Del mar scored on a single by Ashley Miller. But it was short lived as WNCC added two runs in the fifth as Shepherd and Kayla Romey each had singles. Romey scored the game-ending run off a sacrifice fly be Danielle Hearn.
The Cougars pounded out 11 hits in the first game. Jones went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while Duran went 2-for-3 with a home run, a run scored and five RBIs. Palacios also collected multiple hits with two singles, a run scored, and a RBI.
Duran got the win from the circle, going three innings in allowing just two hits and striking out three. Agle finished the contest, tossing two innings with three strike outs, two hits and a run scored.
In the second contest, Jones struck out five while scattering seven hits and giving up four runs in five innings of work. Agle tossed the final inning, striking out one and walking one.
Offensively, North Platte struck first as Rachel Silva scored off a double by Del Mar. The lead was short lived as WNCC plated a single run in the first and then took the lead for good with two in the second and three in the third.
The third inning is where the Cougars flexed their muscles as Duran and Stubbs pounded back-to-back doubles. Three batters later, Faifer rocketed a solo home run for an 6-1 lead. WNCC added a single run in the fourth to up the score to 7-1.
North Platte came back to plate three runs in the fifth on three hits as Lakyn Linstrom, Silva and Ashly Duin all scored.
The Cougars put the game away in the sixth with five runs on five hits, including a 3-run double by Agle and a bunt single by Romey that died just in front of the plate and she easily beat the throw.
WNCC pounded out 17 hits as Duran went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBIs. Hawryluk also finished with three hits, including scoring three runs and collecting two stolen bases.
Also finishing with multiple hits was Palacios with a 2-for-4 contest Shepherd with a 2-for-3 game with two runs scored, and Danielle Hearn, who went 2-for-3.
WNCC, 11-7, will next be in action next week when they travel to Arizona for a Spring Break trip.
First Game
North Platte 000 10 – 1 4 3
WNCC 520 02 – 9 11 1
WP – Bianca Duran, LP – Rachel Silva; 2B – Aria Agle; HR – Duran.
Second Game
North Platte 100 030 – 4 7 4
WNCC (10-7) 123 105 – 12 17 3
WP – Amanda Jones, LP – Karli Buchanan; 2B – NPCC (Jennifer Del Mar), WNCC (Duran, Jocelyn Stubbs, Agle); HR – Mariah Faifer.
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