WNCC softball team claims two games Saturday in final day of Odessa Tourney

ODESSA, Texas — The Western Nebraska Community College softball team found the long ball to their liking as the team hit three more home runs to push their season total to eight as the Cougars wrapped up the Odessa Tournament with two victories Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars blanked Howard College 9-0 in Saturday’s opener before earning a 7-5, 8-inning win against No. 22 Odessa College.

Freshman Kelsey Garner picked up both wins in the circle to help the No. 11 WNCC softball team to a 4-3 record after the opening weekend. Garner pitched a gem in game one, scattering three hits and striking out three.

In the second game, Garner came in relief of Natasha Dypchey and helped the Cougars to the extra-inning victory. Dypchey allowed six hits and four runs in 3 2/3 of work, while Garner allowed three hits and struck out five for her fourth win of the season.

“We played really good defense and our offense strung things together in the first game,” head coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said. “In the second game, we stayed in the game and pulled out the win in extra innings.”

Against Howard, Amanda Hensley was the hitting star of game one, blasting two home runs to spark the Cougars offense. Hensley blasted a lead-off home run and then had another in an 8-run fifth inning. Hensley finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Lauren Bourdon also collected multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

The Cougars then found a way to win against the host school, Odessa. Alec Voci put the Cougars ahead with a 2-run, 2-inning home run. The Cougars went up 5-3 in the fourth as Hensley unleashed a 3-run double.

The teams were tied 5-5 after seven innings. In the extra frame and with international tie-breaker rules in affect, Jessie McNabb hit a run-scoring double, followed by Allie Griffin scoring a run on a fielder’s choice.

Voci paced the Cougars with a 2-for-3 performance, including a home run, single, two runs scored and two RBIs. McNabb also went 2-for-3 with a double, run scored and RBI, followed by Bourdon with a 2-for-4 game, including two runs scored and two singles.

WNCC will return to action this weekend when they travel to face Dodge City Community College and Garden City Community College.

First game
WNCC 100 08 — 9 10
Howard 000 00 — 0 3
WP — Garner; 2B — Bourdon; HR — Hensley 2.

Second game
WNCC (4-3) 020 300 02 — 7
Odessa 102 101 00 — 5
WP — Garner; 2B — Hensley, McNabb; HR – Voci.