WNCC defeats Lamar in five innings 12-0, will host regional tournament May 1-3

LAMAR, Colo. – It’s official. The Western Nebraska Community College softball team claimed their first league title and the right to host the Region IX softball tournament beginning May 1 with a dominating performance over Lamar Community College Tuesday.

The Cougars pounded out 14 hits in shutting out the Lopes 12-0 as Natasha Dypchey sparkled from the circle tossing a four-hitter. It was the Cougars 45^th win of the season and gives WNCC a 21-1 conference record with two conference games left.

“The girls are really excited about hosting the regional tournament,” coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said. “But, we just don’t want to host it now. We try to win every time that we play.”

Winn-Ratliff, though, couldn’t be prouder of what this team has accomplished this season.

“We came out and played very well. I am very proud of these girls,” she said. “[Today] we came out and put the ball into play and pushed runs across the plate. Natasha did a great job in the circle. She worked real hard and got the shutout today.”

The Cougars wasted little time in taking care of business, scoring at will Tuesday afternoon. WNCC scored five times in the first inning on seven hits, including leading off with back-to-back bunts for singles.

WNCC pushed the lead to 8-0 in the second inning as Alec Voci belted a 3-run home run to open the flood gates even more. It was the team’s 23^rd home run in the last six days.
WNCC put the game away in the fifth inning, scoring four times. The big hits included doubles by Lauryn Smith and Jessie McNabb, and a triple by Mandy Pounds that scored two runs.

Dypchey collected her 10^th win of the year by scattering five hits, walking two and striking out one.

Amanda Torimaru paced the Cougars with a 3-for-3 game, including three runs scored and an RBI. McNabb followed by going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a double, followed by Mills going 2-for-3 with a run scored, two singles and two stolen bases, Smith going 2-for-3 with a runs scored, a RBI and a double, Mandy Pounds going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a run scored and a triple, and Voci going 1-for-2 with a home run, four RBIs and a sacrifice.

The Cougars will return to action Thursday when they host North Platte Community College in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. at Volunteer Field. WNCC wraps up the regular season over the weekend as they play in the Marshalltown, Iowa, Tournament, before meeting up with Iowa Western and Iowa Lakes Community Colleges on Sunday.

WNCC (45-6) 530 04 – 12 14 1
Lamar 000 00 – 0 5 0
WP – Dypchey; 2B – McNabb, Smith; 3B – Pounds; HR – Voci.