WNCC softball team belts seven home runs in doubleheader sweep over Fiends junior varsity

Stephanie Townsend and Ashton Hughes each hit grand slams as the No. 11-ranked Western Nebraska Community College swept a doubleheader from Friends College junior varsity 17-4 and 24-0 Wednesday in Wichita, Kan.

The Cougars hammered seven home runs on the day in pounding out 31 hits. The Cougars will return to action Thursday when they face Sterling College junior varsity in a single game and then play Hutchinson Community College in a twinbill in Sterling, Kan.

WNCC also received two stellar pitching performances. In the first game, Taylor Anderson gave up four runs on 11 hits in securing the win. The second game saw freshman Brittany Enterline dazzle a one-hitter in striking out three in picking up her first collegiate win of the year.

Offensively, WNCC was sizzling from the plate as they blasted blasted four home runs in the first game. Three Cougars smacked home runs in the fifth inning, including solo shots from Katie Groves and Brittany Chacon, and a 2-run dinger from Hughes. Jordan Schoepflin added a 2-run home run in the sixth inning.

Six Cougars had a multiple hit game. Groves led the way going 4-for-5 with three RBIs and four runs scored, followed by Schoepflin and Townsend each going 3-for-4. Schoepflin had three RBIs and three runs scored, while Townsend had four RBIs, two runs scored and two doubles.

Hughes, Chacon, and Megan Burditt each tallied two hits in the game.

WNCC quickly took control of game two, scoring six runs in the first inning and never looked back behind Enterline’s near-perfect pitching performance.

The Cougars hammered three home runs in the contest. Groves had a 2-run shot in the second inning to give the Cougars an 8-0 lead. Groves finished the contest 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs.

Townsend then had a grand slam in the third inning. The sophomore from Roosevelt, Utah, finished the contest 2-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored.

Hughes’ grand slam came in the 7-run fifth inning. Hughes, a freshman from Regina, Saskatchewan, went 2-for-5 with three runs scored and five RBIs.

Five other Cougars finished with multiple hits. Schoepflin and Adena Hagen each went 3-for-4. Hagen had a double, two RBIs and four runs scored, while Schoepflin had two runs scored and three RBIs. Amanda Saldivar went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, followed by Townsend with a 2-for-5 game and two runs scored and four RBIs.

Chacon also went 3-for-5 with four runs scored, while Allie Alverson went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs. Megan Burditt had three runs scored in the game.

Game 1
WNCC 001 448 – 17 18 2
Friends JV 020 011 -- 4 11 5
WP – Anderson (1-0); 2B – Townsend (2).

Game 2
WNCC (2-0) 625 47 – 24 20 0
Friends JV 000 00 – 0 1 5
WP – Enterline (1-0); 2B – Hagen; 3B – Alverson; HR – Groves, Townsend, Hughes.