WNCC softball drops McCook in home opener, runs win streak to 21 games.

Rain, sleet and snow couldn’t stop the Western Nebraska Community College softball team Thursday against McCook Community College as the Cougar women made a success home debut with a sweep over the Indians for their 21^st straight and 30^th win of the season.

The Cougars needed some 7^th-inning magic in the first game by scoring two runs to claim the opener 6-5, before topping McCook in game two 10-2. The Cougars will be back in action Thursday when they host Lamar Community College at 2 p.m. at Volunteer Field in Scottsbluff.

“In the beginning we needed to pick it up a little bit,” sophomore Amanda Torimaru said.

“[In the seventh] we knew we needed to pick it up and get done what we needed to. We found a way to win and found the intensity. Then, in the second game we took care of what we needed to get done.”

Torimaru was one of the heroes from the plate on the day. The sophomore from Ft. Collins, Colo., went 4-for-7, including a single, a double and two triples. She also had three runs scored and two RBIs.

The other hitting star on the day was sophomore Lauren Bourdon. Bourdon slapped two home runs in the doubleheader and both came at ripe times.

In the first game, seventh-inning, lead-off home run tied the game at 5-5 and gave the Cougars some momentum. Then, in the second game, Bourdon smashed a 2-run shot over the left-centerfield fence to give the Cougars a 4-1 lead.

Bourdon's solo shot definitely did lift the spirits of the team in the opening game. WNCC just took a 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Lauren Mills drilled a bases loaded, two-out single for the Cougars first lead of the game.

McCook came right back to go ahead with two runs in the top of the seventh on three hits and an error for a 5-4 lead.

That was when Bourdon delivered with the tying home run. But, the Cougars weren’t finished as Torimaru followed with a single and Kara Ryman worked her way aboard with a walk. Whittany Foster then delivered a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. WNCC scored the winning run on the next pitch on a passed ball.

Kelsey Garner picked up her 17^th win of the season, despite giving up five runs on 10 hits. She also walked three and hit two batters, while striking out five.

Offensively, Lauryn Smith paced the Cougars going 3-for-3 with a home run (solo shot in the second inning) and two runs scored. Mills also went 2-for-3 with two singles, a walk, a run scored and two RBIs.

While the Cougars pulled together some seventh-inning magic in the first game, the second game was totally different. WNCC pounded out 13 hits, including six extra base hits, to get the win.

McCook scored first as Tiffany Lokken delivered a first-inning solo home run for a 1-0 lead. WNCC fought back in the bottom of the inning as Natasha Dypchey and Amanda Hensley had back-to-back singles. Then, with two outs, Torimaru delivered a two-run-scoring double to put WNCC up 2-1.

WNCC added three more in the third inning. Dypchey led off with a walk followed by Bourdon’s 2-run home run. The Cougars weren’t finished as Torimaru delivered a triple to rightfield before scoring on a double by Ryman for a 5-1 lead.

The Cougars put the game away in the fifth inning all with two outs. Torimaru started the rally with a 2-out triple. Ryman then reached on a dropped fly ball in centerfield that scored Torimaru.

Ashley Patton then scored Ryman with a single followed by singles by Smith and Foster. Foster’s single scored Patton for an 8-1 lead. Mills was then walked to load the bases followed by a pinch-hit two-RBI double by Allie Griffin to end the game.

Natasha Dypchey picked up the win in the circle facing just 19 batters and allowing six hits. Dypchey struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Offensively, Torimaru went 3-for-3 with a double, two triples, two runs scored and two RBIs. Dypchey went 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored, followed by Bourdon with a 1-for-2 game, including a home run and two RBIs. Smith also finished with a 2-for-3 game, including a run scored and a stolen base.

Bourdon and Torimaru both said that this team is finding ways to win game.

“At first we started out a little slow, but we finally came around with the bats and hit the ball well at the end,” Bourdon said. “Every one has those days, I guess. Our team is a lot about hitting.”

Torimaru said they need to remember how they played in game two for another important contest Thursday at Volunteer Field against Lamar Community College. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.

“I think we are doing a really great job. We are great hitters and we have a lot of great batters on the team and know what they need to get done. We just need to come with the intensity that we had in the last game, then we are good to go.”

First Game
McCook 200 100 2 – 5 10 1
WNCC 110 002 2 – 6 11 1
WP – Garner, LP – Marie Sieperda; 2B – WNCC (Hensley), McCook (Sieperda); HR – WNCC (Smith, Bourdon).

Second Game
McCook (13-24) 100 10 – 2 6 0
WNCC (30-4) 203 05 – 10 13 0
WP – Dypchey, LP – Jessica Martinez; 2B – WNCC (Griffin, Torimaru, Ryman), McCook (Sieperda); 3B – WNCC (Torimaru 2); HR – WNCC (Bourdon).