Second day of WNCC Fall Classic Softball tournament

The second day of the WNCC Fall Classic softball tournament started with a bang Saturday with a down-to-the-wire game between WNCC and Chadron State College.

The Eagle women used a first-inning, 3-run home run from Kristy Long to defeat the Cougars 3-2. WNCC, though, kept fighting to tie the game but had a fifth-inning rally fell short before the time-limit ran out. WNCC rebounded in the nightcap to earn a 14-4 win over McCook.

Against Chadron, the Eagle's Britt McEndaffer and Cassie Humphrey started the rally by getting on base via a single and a fielding error. Then Long belted a pitch over the centerfield fence for the 3-0 lead.

WNCC came right back in the first inning to score a run as well. Lauren Mills lead off with a double to leftfield. After stealing third, she scored on a dropped third strike throw to first base.

Both teams then missed out on scoring opportunities the next four innings. Chadron had just two runners reach scoring position the rest of the way as the Cougar defense stepped up. In the second, Blair McEndaffer led off with a single, but was stranded at second.

Then, in the fifth, Melissa Lohr reached base on a error, but ended up being stranded at third base.

WNCC had plenty more times to score the tying or go-ahead runs. It wasn’t until the fifth that the Cougars had the biggest threat to tie the game. With one out, Kayli Allen drew a walk. Allen was then lifted for pinchrunner Kayla Hall. With two outs, Jessie McNabb singled to put runners on the corner.

Amanda Torimaru then singled in WNCC’s second run with a shot to rightfield, but both McNabb and Torimaru were stranded in scoring position to end the game.

Both pitchers threw well. CSC’s Casey Williams picked up the win allowing four hits, while striking out seven in five innings of work. WNCC’s Kelsey Garner also pitched well despite giving up the first-inning three runs. Garner, the freshman from Regina, Saskatchewan, allowed four hits, while striking out five Eagle batters.

In the win against McCook, WNCC scored one run in the first as Lauryn Smith launched a triple and came around to score. WNCC added three more runs in the third inning on a double by Kayli Allen and singles by Smith, McNabb and Torimaru.

WNCC put the game away in the fourth when they notched 10 runs on 11 hits. Allie Griffin started the run-scoring spree with a single. From there several players got base hits. Allen and Lauren Bourdon each had two hits in the inning. Allen had a double and a single, while Bourdon had two singles. Also collecting big hits was Jessica Pexton with a two-out run-scoring, pinch-hit double.

Action in WNCC Fall Classic continues today at Volunteer Field with six games. Chadron State will play Weber State at 8 a.m. and then McCook Community College at 11:30 a.m. WNCC will finish out the Classic with at 3 p.m. against Air Force and then Wyoming at 4:45.

Other scores in the Classic saw Weber State defeat WNCC 3-2 and North Platte 6-1 on Friday. Saturday’s other action saw Chadron State register a 7-5 win over North Platte. Other winners include Weber State beating North Platte and University of Wyoming, McCook Community College beating Wyoming, Air Force over North Platte, Air Force over McCook. and WNCC over McCook 14-4.