March 10 -- WNCC softball picks up two more wins over Dawson

                [March 10] The Western Nebraska Community College softball team picked up two more wins over Dawson Community College on Monday at Volunteer Field in Scottsbluff.

                Monday's games saw plenty of offense. In game one, Jessica Ball had two home runs and the Cougars came back for an 8-7 win. The second game saw the Cougars register a 14-6 six-inning win to move their record to 17-7 overall.

                Ball, who finished Monday with two home runs and six RBIs, said they did alright, but they could have done better.

                "We did good today but I think we can pick it up a little bit more," the freshman from xxx xxx said.  it is important to build off of these wins because it will get us pumped up for bigger games in our conference and I think we will do good."

                The one thing the Cougars have to learn still is to put a team away, something they didn't do this weekend very much. At times, the Cougars looked unstoppable, but then they let Dawson make comebacks. Ball said they will get better as the season comes and the college inexperience is slowly wearing off.

                "Just because we are young, we are getting into the new groove of things as the season goes along," she said. "I think we are starting to get a lot of leadership know and I think we will pick it up some more."

                Ball said that getting four wins this weekend at home was nice and each win they get, it helps with the experience of this team.

                "it is really important to get the two wins [on Monday]," she said. "Every time we get a win i think it pumps us up even more. These wins will feed us for the other games. I am just excited for the rest of the season. Each game we get stronger and stronger."

                The first game Monday was a game where WNCC held an early 4-0 lead after scoring three times in the third 2-run home run from Ball. After that, Dawson came back to grab a 6-4 lead. The Cougars fought back, scoring once in the fifth and then three times in the sixth to take an 8-6 lead.

                The sixth saw Ball and Shelby McGraw lead off the inning with back-to-back home runs.

                Jordan Smith then finished off the seventh. First, Smith gave up a solo home run to McKenzie Bassett. After that, Smith struck out one, and then induced a fly ball and a groundout for the win.

                Smith tossed the final 3 1/3 innings for the win, scattering four hits, allowing three runs, and striking out two. McGraw started the game in the circle, allowing four runs on six hits and striking out three.

                WNCC pounded out eight hits to 10 for Dawson. Angel Council and Ball led the way each with two singles and three RBIs. Ball had two home runs.

                WNCC pounded out 19 hits in the second game and quickly took control of the contest, scoring twice in the first and the plating eight in the second for a 10-0 lead. The second inning was highlighted by 10 hits, including a 2-run home run by Alysa Linford.

                The Cougars saw the lead sliced in half 10-5 in the fifth. The Cougars came back with two in the fifth to go up 12-5 and then put the game away in the sixth with two run-scoring singles by Council and Ball to end the game.

                Davis picked up the win, going 4 2/3 innings in allowing five hits, two runs, and Striking out one. RaVae Herrera also saw action in the circle, going 1 1/3 innings in allowing four runs on six hits.

                The Cougars 19-hit attack Council, Ball, MCGraw, and Courtney Cloud all getting three hits. Ball and Council each had three RBIs and two runs scored, while McGraw had two RBIs. Linford had two hits with four RBIs. Lindsay Guymon also had two hits with two runs scored and a RBI.

                WNCC (17-7) will next be in action Wednesday when they travel to Lamar Community College for a conference game. WNCC's next home game is March 21 when they host Otero Junior College.

First Game

Dawson                                000 420 1 -- 7 10 0

WNCC                   103 013 x -- 8 8 1

WP -- Jordan Smith, LP -- Bryce Mitchell; HR -- WNCC (Jessica Ball 2, Shelby McGraw), Dawson (McKenzie Bassett).

Second Game

Dawson                (0-4)     002 031 -- 6 11 0

WNCC (17-7)      280 022 -- 14 19 2

WP -- Madison Davis; LP -- Cassidy Chester; 2B -- WNCC (Ball, McGraw); HR -- WNCC (Alysa Linford).

March 9 -- WNCC softball sweeps Dawson

                 [March 9] The Western Nebraska Community College softball team went 4-0 over Dawson Community College in games Sunday and Monday at Volunteer Field in Scottsbluff.

                On Sunday, the Cougars pounded out 15 hits in registering a 12-8 win over the Bucs. The second game saw WNCC plate six fifth-inning runs to earn a run-ruled 12-4 win

                Monday's games also saw plenty of offense, but the Cougars snuck out two wins. In game one, Jessica Ball had two home runs and the Cougars came back for an 8-7 win. The second game saw the Cougars register a 14-6 six-inning win to move their record to 17-7 overall.

                Ball, who finished Monday with two home runs and six RBIs, said they did alright, but they could have done better.

                "We did good today but I think we can pick it up a little bit more," the freshman from xxx xxx said.  it is important to build off of these wins because it will get us pumped up for bigger games in our conference and I think we will do good."

                The one thing the Cougars have to learn still is to put a team away, something they didn't do this weekend very much. At times, the Cougars looked unstoppable, but then they let Dawson make comebacks. Ball said they will get better as the season comes and the college inexperience is slowly wearing off.

                "Just because we are young, we are getting into the new groove of things as the season goes along," she said. "I think we are starting to get a lot of leadership know and I think we will pick it up some more."

                Ball said that getting four wins this weekend at home was nice and each win they get, it helps with the experience of this team.

                "it is really important to get the two wins [on Monday]," she said. "Every time we get a win i think it pumps us up even more. These wins will feed us for the other games. I am just excited for the rest of the season. Each game we get stronger and stronger."

                The first game Monday was a game where WNCC held an early 4-0 lead after scoring three times in the third 2-run home run from Ball. After that, Dawson came back to grab a 6-4 lead. The Cougars fought back, scoring once in the fifth and then three times in the sixth to take an 8-6 lead.

                The sixth saw Ball and Shelby McGraw lead off the inning with back-to-back home runs.

                Jordan Smith then finished off the seventh. First, Smith gave up a solo home run to McKenzie Bassett. After that, Smith struck out one, and then induced a fly ball and a groundout for the win.

                Smith tossed the final 3 1/3 innings for the win, scattering four hits, allowing three runs, and striking out two. McGraw started the game in the circle, allowing four runs on six hits and striking out three.

                WNCC pounded out eight hits to 10 for Dawson. Angel Council and Ball led the way each with two singles and three RBIs. Ball had two home runs.

                WNCC pounded out 19 hits in the second game and quickly took control of the contest, scoring twice in the first and the plating eight in the second for a 10-0 lead. The second inning was highlighted by 10 hits, including a 2-run home run by Alysa Linford.

                The Cougars saw the lead sliced in half 10-5 in the fifth. The Cougars came back with two in the fifth to go up 12-5 and then put the game away in the sixth with two run-scoring singles by Council and Ball to end the game.

                Davis picked up the win, going 4 2/3 innings in allowing five hits, two runs, and Striking out one. RaVae Herrera also saw action in the circle, going 1 1/3 innings in allowing four runs on six hits.

                The Cougars 19-hit attack Council, Ball, MCGraw, and Courtney Cloud all getting three hits. Ball and Council each had three RBIs and two runs scored, while McGraw had two RBIs. Linford had two hits with four RBIs. Lindsay Guymon also had two hits with two runs scored and a RBI.

                Sunday's first game saw WNCC fell behind 1-0 after one inning before plating six runs in the second and five in the third to grab an 11-1 lead. Dawson sliced the lead to 11-8 with four in the fourth and three in the fifth.

                The Cougars settled down in the sixth and seventh as Madison Davis came in relief of McGraw in allowing just one hit and striking out three to get the save. McGraw picked up the win in going 4 1/3 innings in allowing six hits, eight runs and striking out two.

                Offensively, the Cougars pounded out 15 hits. McGraw and Kelsey Bernhardt each had three hits. McGraw had a double, three RBIs, two runs scored, and two stolen bases, while Bernhardt had three runs scored and three stolen bases.

                WNCC started the second game strong, scoring four times in the first on five hits. The big hit in the inning was a 2-run double by Linford for a 4-0 lead and then added single runs in the third and fourth for a 6-0 lead. Dawson sliced the lead to 6-4 with a four-run fifth. WNCC finally put the game away in the sixth with six runs on three hits.

                Linford was the only Cougar with two hits. The freshman had a double, two RBIs, and a run scored.  Ball, McGraw, and Gonzales each had two RBIs. McGraw, Bernhardt, and Courtney Cloud each had two stolen bases.

                Jordan Smith picked up the win, going 4 1/3 innings in allowing three hits, three runs, and striking out five. Davis picked up the save, allowing two hits and striking out one.

                WNCC (17-7) will next be in action Wednesday when they travel to Lamar Community College for a conference game. WNCC's next home game is March 21 when they host Otero Junior College.

Monday's Games

First Game

Dawson                                000 420 1 -- 7 10 0

WNCC                   103 013 x -- 8 8 1

WP -- Jordan Smith, LP -- Bryce Mitchell; HR -- WNCC (Jessica Ball 2, Shelby McGraw), Dawson (McKenzie Bassett).

Second Game

Dawson                (0-4)     002 031 -- 6 11 0

WNCC (17-7)      280 022 -- 14 19 2

WP -- Madison Davis; LP -- Cassidy Chester; 2B -- WNCC (Ball, McGraw); HR -- WNCC (Alysa Linford).

Sunday's Games                                                                                                                              

First Game

Dawson                                100 530 0 -- 8 7 2

WNCC                   065 001 x -- 12 15 4

WP -- McGraw, LP -- Cassidy Chester, S -- Davis; 2B -- WNCC (Hannah Gonzales 2, McGraw, RaVae Herrera), Dawson (Venessa Quintero, Jackie Thomas, McKenzie Bassett); HR -- Dawson (Alissa Keeler, Haylee Hemmert).

Second Game

Dawson                                000 04 -- 4 5 2

WNCC (15-7)      401 16-- 12 9 0

WP -- Smith, LP -- Chezerie Garcia, S -- Davis; 2B -- WNCC (Linford, McGraw), Dawson (Bryce Mitchell, Jamie Aiken); HR -- Dawson (Bassett)

March 12 -- WNCC baseball splits with Lamar

                [March 12] LAMAR, Colo. -- The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team exploded for 18 hits and 10 runs in earning a second-game, 11-inning 10-8 win over Lamar Community College Sunday in a Empire Conference doubleheader.

                The Cougars were one out from recording a sweep over Lamar, but the Lopes scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to record the 3-2 win in game one.

                The second game, however, was the story. Not only did the Cougars register the win, but former WESTCO Zephyr Eric Moreno was on the mound for the Lopes. And on the other side Moreno was pitching to his former WESTCO teammates Joe Moran and Ty Wilson.

                In the end, it was WNCC who came through with the win as Moran and David Martinez each collected four hits in the win. Moran was 4 of 6 with two runs scored and a RBI, while Martinez was 4 of 5 with two runs scored, two RBIs, a double, and a home run. Three other Cougars had two hits. Luis Sotomayor was 2 of 6, Cemeron Synder was 2 of 5 with two RBIs, a run scored and a triple, and Taylor Ericson was 2 of 5 with two RBIs, and a run scored.

                The big thing in the win was the Cougars' tenacity to keep scoring in picking up their first win of the year. The Cougars led Lamar 6-1 after getting single runs in the second and fourth inning before plating four in the fifth.

                The fourth was the big inning as Ericson walked and then Wilson singled. With one out, Moran delivered a run-scoring single. Diaz then doubled to score another run before Snyder tripled to score two.

                The lead to didn't last long as Lamar tied the game in the sixth with five runs. Both teams would score a single run in the seventh. WNCC scored theirs with two outs. Moran singled to lead off the inning and then Diaz reached on an error. Then, with two outs, Gabriel DeLa Rosa single to score the go-ahead run.

                After Lamar tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, neither team scored in the eighth or ninth innings. The Cougars finally went on top in the 10th as Martinez led off the inning with a solo home run.

                Lamar forced another inning after scoring the tying run on a dropped third strike.

                WNCC won the game in the 11th. With one out, Mason Cratty singled. DeLa Rosa reached on an error and then Martinez singled to load the bases with one out. Ericson came through with a two-run single for the game-winners.

                Kyle Shoutta picked up the win by throwing two innings in giving up one run, a hit, and striking out four. Mason Munford picked up a save, pitching the 11th in allowing just one hit and two strikeouts.

                Moreno, who started the game for Lamar, went nine innings in allowing 15 hits, eight runs, and striking out 12 Cougars.

                WNCC had plenty of opportunity to capture the first game as well. John Timmins had an outstanding mound appearance going all seven innings. Timmins tossed 6 2/3 strong innings, allowing eight hits, three runs, and striking out six.

                It was what happened with two outs in the seventh that cost the Cougars as Lamar got a double and triple with two outs to get the victory.

                Up until that time, however, WNCC was playing inspired ball. The Cougars took a 2-0 lead in the second. DeLa Rosa and Martinez led off the inning with back-to--back singles. Sotomayor then delivered a 2-out double to score both runs and the 2-0 lead.

                Lamar plated its run in the fourth on a lead-off home run. WNCC had a chance to added insurance runs in the seventh as Cody Gifford reached on an error and then Moran singled, but both runners were stranded.

                Lamar then won the game with the two runs.

                WNCC finished with seven hits in the contest with seven different Cougars getting at least one hit. Sotomayor had the only extra base hit with a double.

                WNCC (1-9-1) will next be in action Tuesday when they face South Mountain in Phoenix during the team's Spring Break trip.

First Game

WNCC                   020 000 0 -- 2 7 0

Lamar                    000 100 2 -- 3 8 0

LP -- John Timmins; 2B -- Luis Sotomayor.

Second Game

WNCC                   010 140 100 12 -- 10 18 3

Lamar                    000 105 100 10 -- 8 11 2

WP -- Kyle Shoutta, S -- Mason Munford; 2B -- David Martinez, Taylor Ericson, Dionisio Diaz; 3B -- Cameron Snyder; HR -- David Martinez