Gering's Copsey signs with WNCC soccer

                 Gering’s Dani Copsey has dreams of continuing at Creighton University and her first step in accomplishing that goal is playing soccer at Western Nebraska Community College. The Bulldog defender signed to play for the Cougars last week.

                “Coming to WNCC gave me a chance to play soccer at the next level and play more competitively,” Copsey said. “Plus, [coach} Todd Rasnic is a great coach and I am looking forward to playing for him.”

                Copsey, who also was the starting catcher for the Bulldog softball team this year, is hoping to move on to the next level. WNCC, she said, is a good step in that direction.

                “The last few years I realized I loved the sport and Todd gave me the chance to carry on and play at the next level. I appreciate that,” she said.

                WNCC soccer coach Todd Rasnic sees a lot of raw talent in Copsey. Right now, the plans are for her to play a forward position.

                “She does have a pretty good efficiency of playing with her back to the goal and moving balls off to attacking forwards,” Rasnic said. “I think we can build on that and turn her into a very productive player for WNCC.”

                Rasnic said Copsey also brings some size as well as a good mental attitude to the game.

                “I think the number one thing she brings is a good mental attitude,” he said. “Because of her size we can build her into a player that can be very productive for us. Our games are a bit more physical than what you see in high school, so it is wise to get players that have good strength and I think she brings that to the table. She has strong potential from some of things I have noticed when she is playing.”
                Copsey and the Bulldog soccer team are 11-6 on the season and captured the No. 1 seed in the district tournament. She said their goal is to gain the school’s third trip to state. The district championship game is Thursday, May 3. Gering plays Tuesday in the semifinals.

                “That was a big accomplishment to be the districts’ number one seed,” she said. “I couldn’t tell you how excited our team was when we found out about that. It took a lot of hard work and it definitely paid off.”

                Copsey’s hard work will continue over the summer as she prepares for the college game.

                “The workout this summer will be pretty challenging and I am looking forward to it to get in shape,” she said. “He will work us pretty hard.”

                She treasures the time she had playing soccer at Gering and is looking forward to the next level.

                “I will remember my teammates and all the good times we had,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked to play on a better team. That is one of the reasons I am here right now.”

               

WNCC baseball snaps losing streak, sweeps Otero

                The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team entered Sunday's Empire Conference game with Otero Junior College on Sunday with a 17-game losing skid. The losing streak became distant memory after the Cougars put together two complete games to finish the regular season in thundering fashion by sweeping the Rattlers at Cleveland Field.

                The Cougars received two strong pitching performances by sophomores Jeff Schmitt and Terry McNabb in picking up the doubleheader wins. More importantly, the Cougars had timely hits. In the opener, the Cougars scored three first-inning runs in rolling to the 4-1 win. WNCC then jumped out to an 8-0 in the second game lead and never looked back in posting the 8-3 win.

                "It was a totally different team playing out there today," WNCC coach Mike Jones said. "Our energy level was really good and our fundamentals were outstanding. We had so many guys execute fundamental plays that we have been working on all season long and we haven't been able to execute them. Today, everything was executed extremely well. It is unfortunate that our season has to end after starting to play better baseball all of a sudden.

                Jones said if the team would have played like this during the season, who knows how many wins they would have.

                "If we would have played like this, there is no telling how many wins we would have rolled off instead of losses," he said. "I don't know exactly what caused a switch amongst our team, but it was nice to see them play well today."

                Jones said Schmitt and McNabb threw well but it was the defense that made plays behind the two sophomore pitchers that sparkled. WNCC also came up big with timely hits, another key ingredient in the doubleheader win.

                "We had great pitching performances from the two sophomores that went out there and pitched with a lot of heart and competed extremely hard," he said. "The guys played really well behind them. We played really good defense in the outfield and the infield. It was definitely a team effort and it was nice to see our guys back up such good pitching performances on the mount."

                WNCC used clutch hits and aggressive base running to jump out to the 3-0 lead after the first inning. Trevor Kriesel started things by getting walked followed by a Max Brennen getting a single. Kriesel later scored for the 1-0 lead.

                Nick Vanthillo then walked and both Brennen and Vanthillo came home on a Zach Ostergard single for the 3-0 lead.

                Otero came back with a single run in the second, but the Cougars immediately answered with a run in the bottom of the frame Ernesto Punales reached on an error and came around to score on an error by the catcher for the 4-1 lead.

                That is all they would need as Schmitt and the defense stayed strong in getting out of a bases loaded situation in the third.

                WNCC managed just five hits in the contest, but they scored runs when they needed to. Ostergard and Brennen each had two hits in the contest. Ostergard also chipped in two RBIs. The other hits came from sophomore Vore.

                Schmitt tossed a gem, going all seven innings while scattering seven hits and allowing just one run. The sophomore from Cheyenne, Wyo., struck out five in the win.

                The second game was even more exciting to watch as the Cougars' defense came up with some big play and the Cougar offense came up with clutch hits. WNCC struck first with four runs in the third inning.

                The third inning proved to be the key inning and it started with the Cougar's defense in the top of the frame. Otero had a prime scoring opportunity thwarted. The Rattlers; Blake Stoehr singled to left field and Matt Chavarria rounded third to score. Tre Meier, an Alliance native, used his cannon arm and threw a bullet to catcher Pablo Garcia for the third out.

                That defensive play spearheaded the Cougars' offense, scoring four times on five hits. Punales started the inning with a double. Kriesel followed with a single before Brennen knocked in the first run with a double to rightfield. Meier also recorded a run-scoring single to score Brennen for the 4-0 lead.

                WNCC added another three runs in the fifth on one hit, a triple by Garcia to score Vore and Ostergard for the 7-0 lead. The Cougars' final run came in the sixth as Vore had a 2-out single to score Punales.

                WNCC out-hit the Rattlers 9-7. Kriesel, Vore, Punales and Pablo Garcia each had two hits in the contest. Garcia and Vore finished with two RBIs. The Cougars also had three extra base hits, getting doubles from Brennen and Punales and a triple from Garcia.

                McNabb stayed strong in getting the pitching win. The right-handed flame thrower from Canada went seven innings in scattering seven hits and giving up three runs. McNabb walked just two.

                WNCC finishes the season at 13-34. The two teams were slated to play a doubleheader on Monday, but that was cancelled after Northeastern Junior College beat Trinidad State on Sunday, giving Otero the No. 3 seed in the Region IX playoffs.

                The first-round of the playoffs begin this weekend as No. 1 Lamar Community College faces No. 4 Trinidad State while No. 2 Northeastern Colorado takes on No. 3 Otero.

                Jones said they have to replace some key sophomores that will be leaving, but there is plenty of talent for next year.

                "We will lose plenty of talented guys from our pitching staff and some starting position players that have been really important to us offensively," he said. "We have our work cut out to replace those guys, but as a staff we are going to work extremely hard to bring in not only talented players but good students and good character kids."

First Game

Otero JC               010 000 0 -- 1 7 2

WNCC                   310 000 x -- 4 5 2

WP -- Jeff Schmitt; 2B -- Max Brennen.

Second Game

Otero JC               000 000 3 -- 3 7 2

WNCC (13-34)    004 021 x -- 8 9 2

WP -- Terry McNabb; 2B -- Brennen, Ernesto Punales; 3B -- Pablo Garcia.

WNCC softball finishes regular season on 13-game win streak after sweep of Garden City

                Kasey Cash smashed two home runs and the Western Nebraska Community College softball team extended its winning streak to 13 games after dropping Garden City Community College in a doubleheader on Sunday at Volunteer Field.

                The Cougars scored six runs in the third inning to scurry past the Broncbusters 7-2 in the first game. The second contest saw the Cougars battle back from a 4-0 deficit to sting the Broncbusters 5-4 and gave the six sophomores a thrilling win in their final game at home.

                "I think this weekend we played really well. We finally came together as a team, pushed through and got some great hits at the right time, and our defense was strong and we did what we had to do to pull out a couple wins," Sarah Hawryluk, the sophomore from Spruce Grove, Alberta, said. "Strategically, in the second game, we strung out hits together and got the right hits at the right time to score some runs."

                More importantly, Hawryluk said it was nice that the her and the other five sophomores -- Amanda Jones, Jocelyn Stubbs, Aria Agle, Mariah Faifer and Bree Bitton -- played their last games at Volunteer Field with four wins this weekend.

                "It feels really good to finish off with four wins," she said. "We know that we are a really strong program and it is nice to know, not only these last four games, but we will remember the wins through the entire season. it was nice to end the regular season playing as a team and knowing that the tradition of the program is playing as a team."

                WNCC, who improved to 42-24 on the season, will enter this weekend's Region IX tournament in La Junta, Colo., on a positive side. Hawryluk said they need to play to their level as they try to win their third straight Region IX title.

                "We just have to play our game," she said. "Sometimes when we play a team that is not strong, we tend to play at their level but I think if we played like we did this weekend and string hits together, we should be where we need to be."

                The Cougars fought back from deficits in both contests. In the first game, Emily Hurlbert led off the inning with a solo home run. WNCC came back to score six runs in the third inning with two outs. Gabi Palacios started things with a double that hit the top of the fence. Hawryluk followed with a single and then Danielle Hearn walked to load the bases.

                With two outs, Jocelyn Stubbs came through with a towering double to score all three runs. Mariah Shepherd then smashed a double to score Stubbs. Cash closed out the scoring with a 2-run home run to left field for the 6-1 lead.

                Garden City scratched across another run in the fourth to trail 6-2. WNCC followed that with a single run of their own in the sixth as Hawryluk singled to score Aria Agle.

                WNCC outhit Garden City 9-6. Hawryluk and Palacios each contributed two hits each. Stubbs added three RBIs in her 1-for-2 game, while Cash had two RBIs.

                Bianca Duran picked up the win in the circle, going seven innings in scattering six hits and giving up two runs. Duran, from Westminster, Colo., struck out six.

                Garden City jumped all over the Cougars in game two, scoring three runs in the first inning before adding a single run in the second inning for a 4-0 lead. WNCC fought back to knot the score at 4-4 with two runs each in the second and third inning.

                Shepherd and Cash had the one-two punch in the second. Shepherd led off with a double and then Cash delivered a line-drive home run over centerfield to cut the lead in half at 4-2.

                WNCC tied the game in the next inning as Hawryluk singled and scored on a Duran single to centerfield. Duran came around to score the tying run on a Cash single.

                WNCC took the lead in the fifth as Hawryluk led off with a single and scored on a Duran double.

                Hawryluk, Duran and Cash each contributed two hits in the win. Hawryluk went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and had two stolen bases, while Duran was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a double and a run scored. Cash went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored.

                Amanda Jones captured her eighth win in a row in the circle with a gutsy performance. The sophomore from Las Vegas, Nev., went seven innings, scattering eight hits and giving up four runs. Jones also struck out two and walked just one.

                WNCC will open the Region IX tournament on Friday at 6 p.m. The No. 1 seeded Cougars open against the winner of No. 4 Lamar Community College and No. 5 McCook Community College.

First Game

Garden City        010 100 0 -- 2 6 1

WNCC                   006 001 x -- 7 9 0

WP -- Bianca Duran; 2B -- Jocelyn Stubbs, Mariah Shepherd, Gabi Palacios; HR -- Kasey Cash.

Second Game

Garden City        310 000 0 -- 4 8 2

WNCC (42-24)    022 010 x -- 5 8 5

WP -- Amanda Jones; 2B -- Duran, Shepherd; HR -- Cash.

WNCC softball picks up 40th wins of season with sweep over Garden City on April 28

                The Western Nebraska Community College softball team picked up their 40th win of the season by shutting out Garden City Community College in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Volunteer Field.

                Aria Agle slammed a grand slam in game one in leading the Cougars to an 7-0 win. The second contest saw Amanda Jones toss a 3-hitter in leading the Cougars to the 10-0 win. Saturday's contest was also played as fundraiser for the Scleroderma Foundation, where the jersey auction brought in $1,795 for the Foundation.

                The two teams will be back in action Sunday for another doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. It will be the final home and regular season games for the six sophomores.
                Agle, who connected on her second grand slam of the season, said the team played well as a unit.

                "I think we played really well. We saw the ball, hit the ball. and played defense. When we didn't make a play we picked each other up on the next play. I thought we played really well as a team," the sophomore from Mapleton, Utah, said. "Our pitchers have done really well lately and we are backing them up with hits and that is really important. It gives them confidence."
                The two wins were definitely team wins with how WNCC played in the doubleheader. The Cougars combined for 17 runs on 16 hits, including three home runs and a triple. The Cougars have now won 11 straight games.

                "This is a perfect time to peak with regionals coming up," Agle said. "We are able to string things together and they say hitting is contagious so we are making that true."

                WNCC flexed its offensive muscles late in the game. The Cougars led 1-0 after two innings after Agle doubled in Kasey Cash.

                Cash came back in the fourth inning with s lead-off home run to center field for the 2-0 lead.

                WNCC opened up the game in the fifth as Agle smashed her second grand slam of the season, scoring Cash, Duran and Shalese Connary for the 6-0 lead.

                Agle said she was patient and found her pitch to hit.

                "I was just looking for something in my zone," she said. "I saw it and I just swung hoping it was a line drive and it just so happens it went out. I am not a home run hitter, but apparently I like to hit in clutch situations."

                The final run came after Sarah Hawryluk singled, stole second and then scored on a passed ball.

                Agle was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, going 3-for-3 with a double, home run, four RBIs and a run scored. Cash also scored three times in her 1-for-1 day, including two walks.

                BIanca Duran picked up the win in the circle, going seven innings in scattering six hits, striking out two and walking just one.

                The Cougars continued their hot hitting in the second game, ripping seven hits. It didn't take long for the Cougars to set the tone, scoring five runs in the first inning and three in the second to grab an 8-0 lead.

                The big, first-inning hit came from Gabi Palaxios, who had a 3-run triple. The second inning saw the Cougars score all their runs with two outs as Mariah Shepherd doubled to score two runs and then Cash singled to score another run.

                WNCC added its final two runs in the fourth as Bianca Duran lead off with a single followed by Jocelyn Stubbs ripping a 2-run home run over centerfield.

                Shepherd and Cash led the team at the plate, both going 2-for-3. Shepherd had two runs scored, two RBIs and a double, while Cash had three RBIs and a run scored.

                Jones tossed another strong game, going five innings in allowing just three hits, walking one and striking out three.

                Agle said today's final regular season contests and the six sophomores final home game, will have lasting memories. She is hoping to cap off her Cougar career on a positive note.

                "I want to finish on a high note and I want to make some memories with my teammates," she said. "We had a lot of good years together and I think tomorrow will be really meaningful for us and I hope we put it all on the field."

First Game

Garden CIty        000 000 0 -- 0 6 2

WNCC                   010 141 x -- 7 9 1

WP -- Bianca Duran; 2B -- Aria Agle; HR -- Agle, Kasey Cash.

Second Game

Garden City        000 00 -- 0 3 1

WNCC (40-24)    530 2x -- 10 7 1

WP -- Amanda Jones; 2B -- Mariah Shepherd; 3B -- Gabi Shepherd; HR -- Jocelyn Stubbs.

Jones tosses no-hitter as Cougars sweep NJC.

                Western Nebraska Community College's Amanda Jones achieved her first collegiate no-hitter in sizzling fashion Tuesday afternoon in mowing down Northeastern Junior College at Volunteer Field.

                Jones took to the mound in the second game and allowed just three baserunnes for an unearned run before setting down the final next 11 straight batters for the 9-1 win.

                In fact, the Cougars' trio of pitchers were exceptionable on the day. In the opener,

Bianca Duran and Aria Agle combined on a 2-hitter in propelling the Cougars to the 13-1 win before Jones finished off day with her no-hitter.

                The sweep was the Cougars 31st and 32nd wins on the season and pushed the team to 16-3 in conference play. WNCC is now tied with Otero for the top spot.

                For Jones, her no-hitter was her first at WNCC. Jones had several no-hitters at the high school level but the sophomore from Las Vegas, Nev., said that getting that collegiate no-hitter was something she was aiming for.

                "it is actually really exciting," she said. "I am proud of myself because I accomplished something that I wanted to accomplish in college. it is my first no-hitter in college."

                In fact, Jones is quick to add that the entire team played as a unit. All three pitchers were controlling NJC's hitters and the defense limited base runners, including a nice double play in the first game. Jones said the way they played is a good sign as the season nears the end.

                "It was really nice that we [the pitchers] were all on," Jones said. "When we are not in, it is harder for our defense to have confidence in us and back us up. When we are all on, the defense is right there behind us and ready  to back us up."
                The pitchers also had plenty of run support. In the opener, WNCC  exploded out of the gate, scoring eight times on eight hits to take an 8-0 lead after one inning. The big hit was a 3-run home run to right-centerfield by Bianca Duran to open the game. Kasey Cash and Bree Bitton each had a run-scoring double in the inning, while Sarah Hawryluk had a 2-run double.

                Jones said that first inning set the tone for the rest of the day.

                "It was real important because it helped our self-esteem," she said. "Overall, I think we played really well. We played as a team, instead of individually like we have in the past. We are finally coming around and hitting the ball well and making the plays that we need to make."

                WNCC pushed the first-game lead to 13-0 with five runs on four hits in the second inning. Bitton and Hawryluk each had run-scoring singles, while Danielle Hearn ripped a 2-run home run.

                NJC's only run of the game came in the fifth when Jessica Hood walked and scored on a double by Karala Orona. Orona had the only two hits on the day for the Plainswomen, both in the first game.

                WNCC, on the other hand, pounded out 13 hits. Hawryluk and Bitton each had three hits in the contest. Hawryluk went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a double, three RBIs, and a stolen base. Bitton went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, a double and two RBIs. Duran also pounded two hits, collecting a double and home run to go with three RBIs. Kayla Romey also went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two stolen bases, while Hearn went Hearns went 2-for-2 with a home run, three RBIs, two runs scored and two free passes.

                Duran picked up the win, tossing four innings, striking out three in allowing two baserunners on an error and a third-inning single. Agle tossed one inning, striking out one and giving up a run on a hit.

                Game two saw the Cougars fall behind early as NJC plated one run in the second on two errors and a hit batsman. They managed just one run on a sacrifice. After that, the Cougars opened up the game, scoring five times in the second with two outs. Kasey Cash got things cranked up with a 2-out solo home run to tie the game. Agle then walked followed by three straight singles by Mariah Faifer, Romey and Hawryluk for a 5-1 lead.

                WNCC went up 7-1 in the fourth with three straight singles. Hearn had the big hit, a 2-out 2-run single. WNCC ended the contest in the fifth on the 8-run rule as Jocelyn Stubbs and Agle singled, while Mariah Shepherd reached on an error. Cash and Faifer each recorded sacrifice flies to score the winning runs.

                Romey and Hawryluk each finished the game with two hits each and two runs scored.

                WNCC returns to action this weekend as they travel to Glendive, Mont., for a four-game series with Dawson Community College on Saturday and Sunday. these four games are the final games of the conference season for the Cougars. If the Cougars win all four, they will win the conference since the hold tiebreaker over Otero.

                Jones said if they play like they did Tuesday, they should be in great shape.

                "We just have to make sure that we are mentally prepared on the long road trip and make sure we play our best game," she said. "If we play like we did today, I think we will do just fine and it will put us in a good spot for regionals and where we want to be."

Game One

NJC                        000 01 -- 1 2 2

WNCC                   850 0x -- 13 13 1

WP -- Bianca Duran; 2B -- Sarah Hawryluk, Duran, Kasey Cash, Bree Bitton. HR -- Duran, Danielle Hearn.

Game Two

NJC                        010 00 -- 1 0 2

WNCC                   050 22 -- 9 9 2

WP -- Amanda Jones; HR -- Cash

I think

Western Nebraska Community College pitchers were sensational Tuesday night against Northeastern Junior College, tossing a combined 2-hitter in 10 innings of work to lead the Cougars to a sweep over the Plainswomen.

                While Bianca Duran and Aria Agle combined to lead the Cougars to a 13-1