PHOENIX -- Ashton Hughes gave the Western Nebraska Community College softball team the needed lift in the second game of a doubleheader against GateWay Community College. Hughes, who was pitching for the first time this season, shutout GateWay in powering the Cougars to an 8-0 win. GateWay earned a 7-4 win in the opener outhitting the Cougars 12-6.
Hughes was one of the keys to the Cougars' win. The right-handed hurler stepped into the circle and shut down the Geckos by scattering three hits in six innings of work. She also struck out three and walked three in her first pitching win of the season.
"it was definitely enjoyable [being in the circle], but I knew I had a good defense behind me and a good offense that would come later," she said. "I did ok for the first time. I missed a few spots here and there, but I had a good defense when I did miss it."
Hughes also did it offensively in the second-game win. The freshman from Regina, Saskatchewan, went 1-for-2 with a fourth-inning triple and two runs scores.
Katie Groves, however, was the big offensive threat in the contest. WNCC's career home run hitter went 3-for-4 with a triple, home run, two runs scored and three RBIs. Groves started the game by belting her fifth home run of the season, which was a 2-run shot in the third inning.
Groves said they came out with a different attitude and played as a team.
"It was important for us to come out and win that second game. We dropped the first game because we weren't playing as a whole," she said. "The second game we came out and played as a team; we played as one instead of playing like a bunch of individual players."
While the Cougars managed 11 hits, including five extra base hits, Groves said defense was the real reason they won the game.
"We hit the ball well, but our defense held them down," she said. "That helped keep their momentum back after winning the first game."
Hughes said a good defense can inspire the offense.
"Defense is key for this team to do well because without a strong defense not making any errors, then you can contribute more easily on offense," Hughes said. "The offense started to click [in the second game] because everybody was feeding off of each other. So, if one person does well, then you want to do well."
Groves also had a triple that scored Allie Alverson in the fifth innning. Groves came around to score the teams' fifth run of the game on a Jordan Schoepflin's base hit for a 5-0 lead.
The Cougars added three more runs in the sixth inning. Hughes started things by drawing a bases on ball and then stole second. Hughes scored on an Amanda Saldivar single. Alverson and Megan Bourdon had back-to-back doubles to score runs.
Alverson went 3-for-4 from the plate with a near-cycle. The freshman from Tooele, Utah, had a single, double, triple, two runs and an RBI. Bourdon finished with two hits, including a double.
The second game was much needed after the Cougars suffered a 7-4 loss in the opener, which was their fourth straight loss of the season. The Cougars got on the scoreboard first with three runs in the second inning. Groves started things with a single and scored on a single by Jacqui Cappuccilli. Saldivar then reached on a fielder's choice, where both would score on a Bourdon double.
The Cougars went up 4-3 with a single run in the fourth inning, but the Geckos plated four runs in the fifth inning to steal the win.
Cappucilli went 2-for-3 in the game while Schoepflin went 2-for-4.
Taylor Anderson took the loss in the circle, going 4 1/3 innings. She walked one, struck out two and allowed 11 hits and six runs. Brittany Enterline finished off the game allowing one hit, one run and striking out three.
The Cougars, 13-6, will be back in action Thursday when they face Howard College and San Jacinto College in Coolidge, Arizona.
"We are definitely back on the right track," Hughes said. "But, it is one game at a time; that is how it works. Today, the team worked really well together in the second game."
First Game
WNCC 031 000 0 -- 4 6 1
GateWay 030 040 x -- 7 12 2
LP -- Taylor Anderson (6-3); 2B -- Megan Bourdon.
Second Game
WNCC (13-6) 002 123 -- 8 11 1
GateWay 000 000 -- 0 3 1
WP -- Ashton Hughes (1-0); 2B -- Allie Alverson, Megan Bourdon; 3B -- Katie Groves, Ashton Hughes; HR -- Katie Groves.
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