CONCORDIA, Kan. -- The Western Nebraska Community College softball team captured three wins at the Cloud County tournament on Saturday, which included a seventh-inning thriller against Iowa Western Community College.
The Cougars opened the tournament with a 10-0 win against Colby Community College, before topping Iowa Western 2-1. WNCC finished the day with a 9-1 win against Barton Community College.
WNCC coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said they received strong pitching performances and saw a glimpse of a team that can make some noise this season.
"I thought our pitching staff did a great job today," she said. "Playing three games and only giving up two runs and 11 hits shows that they did a nice job in giving us an opportunity defensively to have some confidence. Offensively, I thought some people stepped up really big for us and we did a lot better job of putting the ball into play. We ran the bases a lot better.
"Iowa Western was a big game. Every time we play them we know it will be tough competition. It was 0-0 going into the fifth and then they hit a home run. [In the seventh] Mariah [Shepherd] comes up and hits a lead-off home run. We then bunt over a runner to get her in scoring position and then Danielle does what she needs to do to score her to win the ball game. Today was a great team effort. Today was a glimpse of what our team is capable of. Hopefully, now that we know what we are capable of, we need to play at that level from here on out."
The Iowa Western contest was the game of the day. has Bianca Duran tossed a gem, allowing Iowa Western just three hits in striking out four. The Reivers only run was a solo home run in the fifth.
The Cougars, trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, came back to sting the No. 13 Reivers with two runs. Mariah Shepherd changed the complexion of the game as she led off with a home run to tie the game. Kasey Cash and Mariah Faifer then walked before Danielle Hearn came up money with a double that scored Cash with the winning run.
WNCC finished with just four hits in the contest, but came through with the hits when they needed. Also collecting singles in the contest were Sarah Hawryluk and Duran.
WNCC started off the tournament off with a dominating performance against Colby. Duran tossed another masterful contest, going three innings in allowing three hits and striking out three. Aria Agle finished the contest with two innings of work, allowing a hit and striking out three.
The Cougars pounded out eight hits in the contest. Jocelyn Stubbs led the way with a 3-for-3 game with two doubles, two runs scored and a RBI. Duran also had a home run and two runs scored, while Faifer also contributed a double.
WNCC wrapped up the first day of the tournament with another dominating performance against Barton. Amanda Jones controlled the Barton hitters, allowing just four hits in five innings, while striking out four and not walking a batter.
Offensively, WNCC pounded out 11 hits in scoring twice in the first, four in the second before putting the game away in the fifth with three runs.
Five Cougars finished with multiple hits. Duran had a double, two RBIs and two runs scored; Stubbs had two doubles and two RBIs; Cash had a double and run scored; Agle had two runs scored and a RBI; and Brandi Percival had a triple, two RBIs and a run scored.
WNCC will wrap up the Cloud Tournament on Sunday when they face Kansas Wesleyan and Highland Community College. The Cougars will then return home for a home contest on Wednesday against North Platte Community College.
First Game
Colby 000 00 -- 0 4 4
WNCC 361 0x -- 10 8 0
WP -- Bianca Duran; 2B -- Jocelyn Stuffs 2, Mariah Faifer; HR -- Duran.
Second Game
Iowa Western 000 010 0 -- 1 3 1
WNCC 000 000 2 -- 2 4 2
WP -- Duran; 2B -- Danielle Hearn; HR -- Mariah Shepherd.
Third Game
Barton 001 00 -- 1 4 2
WNCC 240 03 -- 9 11 1
WP -- Amanda Jones; 2B -- Stubbs 2, Duran, Kasey Cash; 3B -- Brandi Percival.
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