WNCC softball goes 2-1 at Colby Tournament

                COLBY, Kan. -- The 17th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College softball team went 2-1 at the Colby Invite against three Kansas community Colleges.

                The Cougars opened the day getting home runs from Bianca Duran and Shelby McGraw in posting a 2-0 win against Seward County Community College. WNCC continued its offensive output, getting 15 hits against Barton Community College.

                Butler Community College then showed why they are the number one team in the nation by no-hitting the Cougars with a 14-0 win. Butler went 3-0 in the first-day of the tournament shutting out all three Region IX teams. Butler defeated Otero 11-0 and beat Trinidad State 8-0.

                The loss ended a 16-game winning streak by the Cougars and dropped the Cougar to 40-8 on the season.

                The two wins pushed the Cougars record to 40-8 and it is the sixth straight year the Cougars have recorded 40 or more wins.

                The opener was a barn-burner as each team managed just three hits. The Cougars, however, got the two hits they needed most. Duran opened the scoring with a fourth-inning, lead0-off home run that broke up a perfect game bid and gave the Cougars an 1-0 lead

                WNCC added to the lead in the fourth as McGraw made it 2-0 with a solo shot to left field.

                That was all WNCC needed as Duran was sparkling on the mound, getting the complete game shut-out in striking out six and allowing just three hits. Duran never walked a batter in the 24 Seward batters she faced.

                WNCC opened up the offense against Barton, pounding out 15 hits with only three extra base hits. Six Cougars finished with multiple hits. Duran and McGraw led the way with three hits each. McGraw was a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple, three runs scored and four RBIs, while Duran was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

                Kasey Cash, Angel Council, Mariah Shepherd, and RaVae Herrera each had two hits. Council had three runs scored, while Shepherd had two runs scored with three RBIs.

                WNCC tied the game at 1-1 with a single run in the second as Kayla Romey scored McGraw on a bunt.

                The Cougars widened the lead with three runs each in the third and fourth innings. The Cougars had just two singles in the third to go up 4-1. In the fourth, WNCC pounded out four singles for a 7-1 lead.

                WNCC followed with a six-run inning in the fourth where all six runs came with two outs. The big hit in the inning was a 2-run triple by McGraw that scored Jennifer Cottle and Shepherd.

                Herrera picked up the win in the circle by going five innings in scattering four hits and allowing one run. Herrera faced just 20 batters and tossed 65 pitches.

                Against Butler, the Shelby McGraw took the loss in the circle, going all four innings in allowing 10 hits, striking out two and allowing four home runs.

                WNCC managed just five base runners in the game three of which earned walks and two that got on by fielder's choice. Herrera had two walks in the game, while Duran had the other.

                WNCC is slated to face Northeastern Junior College Monday afternoon before hosting North Platte Community College on Tuesday at Volunteer Field.

First Game

WNCC                   000 110 0 -- 2 3 0

Seward                 000 000 0 -- 0 3 0

WP -- Bianca Duran; HR -- Duran, Shelby McGraw.

Second Game

WNCC                   013 36 -- 13 15 1

Barton                  100 00 -- 1 4 0

WP -- RaVae Herrera; 2B -- Duran, Mariah Shepherd; 3B -- McGraw.

Third Game

WNCC                   000 00 -- 0 0 1

Butler                    425 3x -- 14 10 0

LP -- McGraw.