WNCC softball goes 1-2 in first day of Columbus tournament

COLUMBUS -- A day after the Western Nebraska Community College softball team racked up 33 runs in a doubleheader sweep over Central Community College-Columbus, Friday was a different story for the Cougar offense in the Jimmy Johns/New World Inn Raider Classic Softball Tournament in Columbus.

WNCC opened the first day going 1-2 as they topped Southwestern Iowa Community College 8-2 before falling to Iowa Western Community College 4-1 and then to North Iowa Area Community College 9-7.

The Cougars, 20-14, will try to get back on the winning track Saturday when they face Iowa Lakes Community College at 11 a.m. and Kirkwood Community College at 1 p.m. in the second day of the tournament.

WNCC pounded out 12 hits in the team's only win of the tournament. The Cougars ran out to a 7-0 lead after five innings thanks to a 4-run fourth inning. WNCC had four doubled in the contest, including two from sophomore Adena Hagen. Allie Alverson finished the game going 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and two RBIs.

Brittany Chacon also had a good game, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Katie Groves went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Stephanie Townsend picked up the pitching win in the circle going seven innings, while striking out seven.

The other two games were disappointing results. In the opener against Iowa Western, the Cougars let the Reivers score four runs in the first two innings and then could come back. WNCC's only run came in the fourth as Jackie Cappuccilli doubled followed by a single by Chacon. Ashton Hughes drove in Cappuccilli with their only run of the game.

Taylor Anderson took the loss in the circle scattering six hits and striking out just one.

Cappuccilli and Chacon each had two hits in the game.

WNCC finished the first day by falling to NIACC 9-7. NIACC jumped out to a 7-0 lead before the Cougars bats decided to wake up, scoring four times in the fourth inning. NIACC answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, which turned out to be the winning runs.

Jordan Schoepflin took the loss in the circle as the allowed four runs in just an inning of work. Anderson finished out the game in going 5 1/3 innings with three strike outs and a walk.

Anderson led the way from the plate with a 3-for-4 performance, including two RBIs. Alverson also collected two hits, including a double.

Game One
WNCC 000 100 0 -- 1 5 2
Iowa Western 220 000 x -- 4 6 1
LP -- Taylor Anderson; 2B -- Jackie Cappuccilli.

Game Two
WNCC 100 420 1 -- 8 12 0
SW Iowa 000 001 1 -- 2 5 4
WP -- Stephanie Townsend; 2B -- Adena Hagen 2, Allie Alverson, Ashton Hughes.

Game Three
WNCC 000 402 1 -- 7 9 5
NIACC 421 200 x -- 9 9 0
LP -- Jordan Schoepflin; 2B -- Katie Groves, Alverson.