WNCC softball splits with Otero, picks up 30th win of the season

               LA JUNTA, Colo. -- The Western Nebraska Community College softball team captured its 30th win of the season after earning a conference split with Otero Junior College on Saturday on the road.

               In the opener, the Cougars outhit the Rattlers 7-4, but fell 4-3. The Cougars left little doubt on the outcome of the second contest as they received 3-run home runs from Kasey Cash and Aria Agle in posting a commanding 18-5, 5-inning win.

               The Cougars are now 30-24 on the season and return ti action Tuesday  when they host Northeastern Junior College beginning at 3 p.m. at Volunteer Field.

               WNCC opened it offensive in the second contest with 17 hits with seven going for extra bases.

               The Cougars quickly took command with five first-inning runs. Danielle Hearn and Jocelyn Stubbs started things with singles and then Mariah Shepherd hammered a 2-run double. Cash followed with a run-scoring double before Agle had a run-scoring single and Gabi Palacios had a run-scoring double.

               WNCC went up 11-2 after two innings with a six-run second on just three hits. The big hits were a Cash 2-run single and a a 3-run home run by Agle over centerfield.

               The Cougars continued powering on the runs with three runs in the third and fourth and a single run in the fifth. The third saw WNCC string together four singles, including Mariah Faifer 2-run single for a 14-1 lead.

               WNCC scored its three runs in the fourth all with two outs. After Stubbs and Shepherd reached base, Cash sent the ball over centerfield fence for a 3-run dinger and a 17-2 lead. The Cougars' final run came in teh fifth as Bianca Duran had a 2-out, run-scoring double.

               Amanda Jones captured the win in the circle giving up five runs of which only two were earned, 11 hits and striking out one.

               WNCC could have had a sweep over the Rattlers, but a late-inning comeback fell short. The Cougars started the contest with two runs in the first inning as Sarah Hawryluk and Duran reached base with a walk and a double. Stubbs then came through with a 2-run single for the quick 2-0 lead.

               Otero sliced the lead in half with a run in the first and then took a 4-2 lead after five with a 3-run home run. WNCC made a seventh inning comeback. as Shepherd started things with a single and scored on a no-out single  by Agle.

               The Cougars finished with seven hits, led by Agle with a 2-for-3 game.

               Duran was the hard-luck loser, allowing four hits, four runs and striking out four. Duran did not allow a earned run in her six innings in the circle.

               WNCC, 30-24 overall and 14-4 in conference play. The Cougars have six conference games left, two with Northeastern Junior College and four games with Dawson on the road next weekend.

First Game

WNCC                  200 000 1 -- 3 7 3

Otero                   100 030 x -- 4 4 0

LP -- Bianca Duran; 2B -- Duran, Mariah Shepherd.

Second Game

WNCC (30-24)                   563 31 -- 18 17 3

Otero (32-11_                   110 21 -- 5 11 2

WP -- Amanda Jones; 2B -- Danielle Hearn, Duran, Shepherd, Kasey Cash, Gabi Palacios; HR -- Aria Agle, Kasey Cash.