{April 24] STERLING,
Colo. -- Jennifer Cottle had two home runs and the 19th-ranked Western Nebraska
Community College softball team earned to shut-out wins over Northeastern
Junior College 8-0 and 10-0 in conference action Wednesday in Sterling, Colo.
The
wins gives the Cougars the our right conference title with an 18-2 record and
the No. 1 seed in next week's Region IX tournament. More importantly, the
Cougars are now 46-8 on the season as they enter a 3-day home stand beginning
Friday at Volunteer Field to close out the regular season.
WNCC
coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said the three pitchers performed well.
"To
go on the road and only give up four hits and get two shutouts on the day is
huge for our staff," she said. "Bianca, RaVae and Shelby all threw
very well for us today."
What
was even pleasing to the coach was how the team hit in windy conditions. WNCC
combined for 27 hits in the two games.
"To
be able to put up 18 runs on board with the windy conditions blowing in was a
success for us," she said. "We hit a lot of line drives and didn't
leave a lot of runners on base. We just want to continue to play consistent
softball both offensively and defensively."
In
the opener, Cottle came within a single of hitting for the cycle as Bianca
Duran picked up her 30th win from the pitching circle in the 8-0 win.
The
Cougars dominated play in the opening game, finishing with 15 hits to the
Plainswomen's three hits. Five different Cougars finished with multiple hits,
including three hits each from Cottle, Kasey Cash, and Danielle Hearn.
Cottle
had the hot bat, nearly getting a cycle. The freshman from Lehl, Utah, had a
run-scoring triple in the first inning, a double in the fourth inning, and a
2-run home run in the sixth inning. Cottle also scored two runs and had three RBis.
Cash
finished with two singles and a double, while scoring two runs and a RBI>
Hearn had three singles. Cash's double came in the sixth, while McGraw had the
only other extra base hit, getting a third-inning, run-scoring triple in the
third inning.
Mariah
Shepherd and Kayla Romey also finished with two hits each. Shepherd scored two
runs, had a RBI, and had two stole bases; while Romey had a run scored and a
stolen base.
Duran
continued her dominating season with a three-hitter that saw the right-hander
face just 21 batters in six innings, while striking out six.
The
second game was even more dominating, both offensively and from the circle.
RaVae Herrera and McGraw combined on a five-inning, one-hitter that saw the two
pitchers strike out four and face just 18 batters.
WNCC
finished with 12 hits, including five extra base hits. Cash led the way with a
3-for-4 game with two runs scored, two RBIs, a stolen base, and a double.
Cottle, Hearn, and Haley Paxton each finished with two hits.
Cottle
went 2-for-4 with a double, home run, two runs scored, and four RBIs. She
belted a 3-run home run in the fourth inning, and had a 2-run double in the
first.
Paxton
finished with a double, and Duran had the other extra base hit, a solo home run
in the fifth. Cash came through with a 2-run double in the second, Paxton had a
double in the Fourth.
WNCC
will be in action Friday when they host North Platte at 1 p.m. in a
doubleheader. They will then have dorm parent day on Saturday at 1 p.m. against
Garden City Community College. The Cougars will wrap up the regular season on
Sunday in sophomore day at 11 a.m. against Garden City.
First Game
WNCC 302
003 -- 8 15 0
NE Colorado 000
000 -- 0 3 0
WP -- Bianca Duran; 2B -- Kasey Cash, Jennifer Cottle; 3B
-- Cottle, Shelby McGraw; HR -- Cottle.
Second Game
WNCC 321
31 -- 10 12 2
NE Colorado 000
00 -- 0 1 0
WP -- RaVae Herrera; 2B -- Cash, Cottle, Haley Paxton; HR
-- Cottle, Duran.
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