The Western Nebraska Community College fall softball season will kick off this weekend as the Cougars will host the Fall Classic Saturday and Sunday at Volunteer Field in Scottsbluff. The tournament features five teams in the 11-game tournament. Action kicks off Saturday at 10 a.m. as the Cougars will face Chadron State College. WNCC will also take on North Platte Community College at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Chadron State will also face North Platte at 11:45 a.m. and then McCook Community College at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday. The other game on Saturday will pit North Platte against McCook at 5 p.m.
Sunday’s action kicks off at 9 a.m. as WNCC faces McCook. The rest of Sunday’s schedule will have the University of Wyoming taking on McCook at 10:45 a.m., North Platte and Wyoming at 12:30 p.m., North Platte and Chadron State at 2:15 p.m., WNCC facing North Platte at 4 p.m., and Chadron State meeting Wyoming at 5:45 p.m.
WNCC coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said the focus of the fall tournament is to get the freshmen and sophomores accustomed to playing together before the spring season. She said there will be plenty of intensity and competitiveness.
Winn-Ratliff said the team is ready to get on the field and play for real instead of scrimmaging each other.
“They are eager to play,” she said. “We still have a long way to go, but it will be nice to get on the field and play someone other than ourselves. The potential of this team is unlimited.”
WNCC and CSC contests are always exciting and this year is no exception. Winn-Ratliff is not taking this tournament lightly.
“I think it should be exciting to play CSC. Chadron State has a lot of returners with experience,” she said. “McCook has a new head coach so I am guessing we might see a different look out of them. North Platte always plays hard and is very scrappy, and Wyoming always has a great time and plays hard.”
WNCC returns seven players from last year’s 42-19 squad. Returning include all-American Katie Groves, along with starters Alyssa Hickey, Adena Hagen, Megan Burditt, Tonya Atencio, Brittany Chacon, and Stephanie Townsend.
Winn-Ratliff said all seven are good leaders on the field.
“They all bring different aspects to the program,” she said. “Without them, it will be difficult for us to succeed.”
WNCC also had a talented incoming group with plenty potential. The freshmen group includes Chara Horsley, who red-shirted last season. Winn-Ratliff said Horsley has tremendous skills on the corner and power at the plate.
The other newcomers include Taylor Anderson, a transfer pitcher from Riverton, Utah; Megan Bourdon, catcher and utility player from Duck Lake, Saskatchewan; Jordan Schoepflin, a pitcher from Arvada, Colo.; Amanda Saldivar, a utility player from El Paso, Texas; Jacqui Cappuccilli, an utility player from Las Vegas, Nev.; Tarah Campagnola, an outfielder from Littleton, Colo.; Brittany McNiel, an utility player from Milliken, Colo.; Allie Alverson, an outfielder from Tooele, Utah; Michelle Glaze, an utility player from Brighton, Colo.; Afton Bartz, a outfielder from Ft. Collins, Colo.; Katie Hill, an utility player from Broomfield, Colo.; Brittany Enterline, a pitcher from Tracy, Calif.; and Ashton Hughes, an utility player from Regina, Saskatchewan.
The Cougars should be well-rounded at all the positions with the talent on the team this season. The Cougars have five pitchers on the squad this season. Townsend is the only returning thrower. The other four include Anderson, Schoepflin, Enterline, and Hughes.
“Anderson has been doing a nice job for us in our scrimmages,” Winn-Ratliff said. “Jordan has shown a lot of improvement in the circle and hits the ball very well. Also, Brittany keeps the ball down and get us a lot of ground balls, and Ashton is one of the most athletic athletes that we have had come through the program.”
The team also has two players that are playing multiple sports at the college. McNiel will miss this weekend’s action as she will be traveling with the women’s soccer team, while Glaze is also a member of the basketball team.
After this weekend’s tournament, the Cougar softball team will travel to Chadron State on Sept. 16, followed by a trip to face Colorado State University on Sept. 20. They will then host Chadron State on Sept. 24. They will continue playing contests through the Cougar World Series, which is slated for Oct. 12-15.
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