Softball team ready for regionals

                The Western Nebraska Community College softball team will begin their quest for a third Region IX championship on Friday and the team is entering the tournament on quite a tear.

                The Cougars, 42-24, enter the double-elimination tournament in La Junta, Colo., riding a 13-game winning streak and the No. 1 seed after winning the conference crown. The Cougars will open tournament play Friday at 6 p.m. against the winner of the game between Lamar Community College (33-26) and McCook Community College (15-27)

Sophomore Jocelyn Stubbs said this team is finally hitting their stride after playing a killer of a schedule.

                “We are finally peaking and we are doing it at the right time,” the returning catcher said. “We are figuring out how to play with each other on the field. We are going to take all this momentum and use it in the tournament.”

                Other first round games on Friday show No. 2 Otero Junior College (37-12) against Northeastern Junior College (0-28) at 4 p.m. and No. 3 Trinidad State Junior College (29-13) against Dawson Community College (19-17) at 2 p.m. The championship game is slated for Sunday at 4 p.m. The games will be live on the internet at www.ihigh.com/wncc.

                Stubbs said the team is approaching the tournament with caution, knowing they have lost games to Trinidad, Otero and Lamar during the regular season.

                “There will be some tough competition and there usually is,” she said. “I think regionals are a whole new world. I think anybody can win and we will have to come out with our A game every game.”

                The Cougars enter the tournament playing some of their best ball of the season. Much of their success stems from the 1-2 pitching combination of freshman Bianca Duran and sophomore Amanda Jones. The two are third and fourth in earned run averages in the region. Duran boasts an ERA of 1.54 with 159 strikeouts in 222 innings of work. Jones is just as impressive with an ERA of 2.50 and 101 innings of work. Jones has also struck out 101 batters.

                “Our pitching will be a big strong point for us because we will be able to rely on both pitchers in this tournament because last year we really relied on Ashton [Hughes],” she said. “We have been strong in the circle lately.”

                Also impressive in WNCC’s recent surge of success is their hitting. The Cougars have blasted 56 home runs this season, four behind Otero’s 60 home runs. The Cougars home runs success is led by Duran’s 15 dingers followed by Kasey Cash with 12. Stubbs has also smashed seven, while Aria Agle has six. Agle also has two grand slams on the season, including a slam against Garden City Community College on Saturday.

                “I feel like our hitting is contagious right know,” Stubbs said. “I feel like as soon as one person gets a hit, we all get hits and we use that momentum and keep going for it. It is also huge that we keep fighting to the very end. Our hitting will be the biggest key in the tournament. If we start hitting, our defense falls into suit behind it. As long as we swing the bats, I think we will be alright.”

                The Cougars will need to put at least three complete games together to capture their third straight Region IX title and trip to the national tournament. The Cougars will have one game Friday, one game Saturday whether they win or lose, and the championship game on Sunday. If the Cougars fall on Friday, they will play Saturday at 4 p.m. while if they win, they will play at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Stubbs said it would mean a lot to the sophomores to continue the tradition that the program as established of going to the national tournament.

                “Winning another title would mean a lot. All the sophomores fought and won last as a team and it would be important to come back our sophomore year and prove that we are good enough to have that title and go to the national tournament and compete. I think this is a good enough team to go to compete at the national tournament.“

                For Stubbs, making a return trip to the national tournament in St. George, Utah, March 17-20, means that she will be returning home of sorts. Stubbs, who graduated from high school in Roosevelt, Utah, leaved in St. George for a spell, so she is familiar playing at the Canyons Sports Complex.

                “I am from St. George originally so I grew up playing on these fields,” Stubbs said. “I think it really fun and neat that I can go back to my hometown and play in front of everyone I know. I got the opportunity to do that last year and I am hoping I get the opportunity to that this year.”

Tournament Schedule

Friday, May 4

Noon – Lamar vs. McCook (Game 1)

2 p.m. – Trinidad State vs. Dawson (Game 2)

4 p.m. – Otero vs. NE Colorado (Game 3)

6 p.m. – WNCC vs. Lamar/McCook winner (Game 4)

Saturday, May 5

10 a.m. – TSJC/Dawson winner vs. OJC/NJC winner (Game 5)

Noon – TSJC/Dawson loser vs. Otero/NJC loser (Game 6)

2 p.m. – LCCC/McCook loser vs. Game 6 loser (Game 7)

4 p.m. – Game 6 loser vs. Game 4 loser (Game 8)

6 p.m. – Game 4 and Game 5 winners (Game 9)

Sunday, May 6

Noon – Game 7 vs. Game 8 losers (Game 10)

2 p.m. – Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 loser (Game 11)

4 p.m. – Championship: Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner (Game 12)

6 p.m. – If-necessary championship game (Game 13)