Cougar softball team sweeps Dawson on April 22

                GLENDIVE, Mont. -- The Western Nebraska Community College softball team captured the regular season Region IX conference title after sweeping Dawson Community College Sunday afternoon in Glendive, Mont.

                Jocelyn Stubbs and Mariah Shepherd recorded home runs in leading the Cougars to the 4-3 win in game one. The second game saw Amanda Jones toss a five-hitter to shut out the Bucs 9-0 for the Cougars 36th win of the season.

                By capturing the conference championship, the Cougars earned the number-one seed in the Region IX tournament to be held in two weeks in La Junta, Colo.

                Danielle Hearn, freshman from Santa Monica, Calif., said they played pretty well to get the four-game sweep over Dawson over the weekend.

                “I think the team played pretty well,” she said. “We had some ups and downs but we were able to keep fighting to come up with four wins.”

                As much as capturing the number one seed as well as the regular season conference championship was exciting, Hearn said they still have a few more goals to go.

                “We worked very hard to achieve our goal and come out on top of conference,” she said. “It feels great to go into regionals on top and to have a little confidence going into the tournament will help.”

                Sunday's two wins was a test of determination. In the opener, the Cougars matched Dawson run-for-run. Dawson scored first in the top of the first, but WNCC quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning as Sarah Hawryluk singled, stole second, and scored on a passed ball.

                Dawson went up 2-1 in the third only to watch WNCC respond right back with a run in the bottom of the frame. Jocelyn Stubbs tied the contest with a 2-out home run to left field.

                The Bucs came right back to go up 3-2 with a single run in the sixth. WNCC responded once again and it didn't take long either. Stubbs led off with a single and then Shepherd took a 2-2 count and pasted the ball over the centerfield fence for a 2-run home run and the 4-3 lead.

                Offensively, the Cougars finished with seven hits. Stubbs paced the team with a 3-for-3 game with a home run. No other Cougar had more than one hit. Shepherd did finished with two RBIs.

                Bianca Duran picked up the win in the circle, tossing seven innings in surrounding eight hits, three runs, while striking out seven.

                The second contest was all WNCC from the get-go, scoring eight runs on five hits. Hawryluk started things by drawing a walk and game in to score on a Shepherd single. WNCC kept taking advantage of Dawson errors and walks for the 8-0 lead.

                WNCC added a single run in the third as Mariah Faifer had a solo home run.

                WNCC pounded out just seven hits in the contest. Hearn, Shepherd and Faifer all finished with two hits each and two RBIs each.

                Jones picked up the win by striking out four and scattering five hits.

                WNCC, 36-24, will be back in action Wednesday when they face Iowa Western Community College in Kearney. After that, they will return home to face Garden City Community College in a four-game series that will cap off the regular season.

First Game

Dawson                                101 001 0 -- 3 8 0

WNCC                   101 002 x -- 4 7 3

WP -- Bianca Duran; 2B -- Bree Bitton; HR -- Jocelyn Stubbs, Mariah Shepherd.

Second Game

Dawson                                000 00 -- 0 5 5

WNCC                   601 0x -- 9 7 1

WP -- Amanda Jones; HR -- Mariah Faifer.

WNCC baseball team drops doubleheader to Lamar on April 22

                 The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team had plenty of opportunities in trying to stop a its losing streak, but they fell short in dropping a doubleheader to Lamar Community College 9-3 and 5-2 on Sunday afternoon at Cleveland Field.

                The Cougars, who have now dropped 17-straight, are 6-18 in conference play and still in the hunt for the final playoff berth. But, for that to happen, they need things to happen to register that fourth and final spot.

WNCC trails Trinidad State who is 10-15 in conference play and Otero Junior College, 13-13, in conference play. The Cougars will tangle with Otero at Cleveland Field this weekend in a key Empire Conference four-game set.

                The game, however, might not mean too much if Trinidad State can win three of its final five conference games. Trinidad has a single game with Lamar, and doubleheaders with Northeastern Junior College and McCook on the horizon.

                For the Cougars, they had opportunities to squeeze out one win on Sunday in game two. WNCC stranded eight runners on base. The difference in the game was a four-run fourth inning for the Runnin’ Lopes, who had just three hits in the inning, including a lead-off double by Mitch Robinson and a single and a run-scoring single by Tony Schicktanz.

                Other than that one inning, WNCC stayed with the league-leading Lopes. After Lamar scored a single run in the second on a Robinson double and Schicktanz single, the Cougars came right back to put up a run of their own. Greg Spurgin led off by reaching on an error. After a sacrifice, Ernesto Punales and Andy Padron each had singles to help to score Spurgin. But, WNCC left both runners stranded.

                After Lamar went up 5-1 in the fourth, the Cougars continued their fight back, plating a single run, but could have had more. Zach Ostergard led off with a single. Punales then singled to put two on the bath paths with no outs. Trevor Kriesel came through with a 2-out single to score one run to cut the lead to 5-2.

                After that WNCC relief pitcher Nick Hernandez shut down the Lamar bats, allowing just one hits in the final three innings. As for WNCC, they had a 2-out rally in the fifth as Spurgin singled and Ostergard was plunked by a pitch to put runners on, but nothing came of the rally.

                Both teams each had eight hits. WNCC was led by Punales with a 2-for-3 game. The difference in the game was Lamar had three extra-base hits – three doubles.

                Goings suffered the loss on the mound, going four innings in giving up seven hits, five runs and striking out three. Hernandez went three innings in allowing one hit, one walk and striking out three.

                The first game started strong for the Cougars, but the middle innings proved the difference. Lamar scored twice in the second off a 2-run home run by Ben Lahn.

                The Cougars answered with a single run in the bottom of the second as Nick Vanthillo walked followed by back-to-back singles by Tyler Wiens and Punales to slice the lead to 2-1.

                Lamar came back to score twice in the third and three times in the third for a 7-1 lead. Lamar added to the lead with back-to-back solo home runs by Garrett Yost and Jackson Gooch.

                WNCC tried a seventh-inning, 2-out rally as Max Brennen and Andy Padron were plunked with a pitch. Jake Vore then had an infield hit to load the bases. Benly Ramos then got a single that scored two runs, but that was it for the rally.

                The two teams combined for 24 hits with Lamar getting 16 and WNCC eight. Once again, Lamar had nine extra-base hits, including three home runs and six doubles. The Cougars had just one extra base hit, a double by Padron. Vore led the offensive attack with a 3-for-4 game.

                Jeff Schmitt took the loss despite pitching well. The Cheyenne, Wyo., native went five innings in giving up seven runs on 13 hits and striking out four. Chris Nadon, another Cheyenne native, finished off the contest by going two innings and giving up three hits and two runs.

                The Cougars will be back in action Wednesday when they travel to McCook Community College for a must-win conference game.

First Game

Lamar                    022 302 0 – 9 16 0

WNCC                   010 000 2 – 3 8 0

LP – Jeff Schmitt; 2B – Andy Padron

Second Game

Lamar                    010 400 0 – 5 8 1

WNCC                   010 100 0 – 2 8 2

LP – Dalton Goings.

WNCC softball sweeps Dawson on April 21

                GLENDIVE, Mont. -- Bianca Duran fanned 10 Dawson Community College batters as the Western Nebraska Community College softball scored four times in the ninth inning to register the 5-1 9-inning win over the Bucs in Glendive, Mont., on Saturday.

                The second game saw the Cougars received home runs from Aria Agle and Kasey Cash to roll past Dawson 10-5 to pick up the two conference wins.

                The first game was a nail-biter as Duran was pitching a gem, striking out 10 and walking just one. Dawson's only run was a home run in the fourth inning. Other than that, Duran controlled the Bucs.

                Offensively for the Cougars, they started well, scoring once in the first. They were then shut down until the night inning when they exploded for four runs.

                The Cougars offensive attack was led by Aria Agle, who went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.

                WNCC quickly got on the scoreboard as Sarah Hawryluk walked and scored on a Duran single for the 1-0 lead.

                The Cougars had opportunities to score in regulation, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and the sixth innings. The ninth inning was when the Cougars opened up the contest and Danielle Hearn got things started with a lead-off home run to leftfield. The home run generated plenty of excitement as Jocelyn Stubbs and Kasey Cash each walked, while Mariah Shepherd singled to load the bases. Agle then singled to scored two and a Bitton hit scored Cash.

                WNCC had four players record multiple hits in the contest. Besides Agle, Hawryluk went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two stolen bases. Stubbs went 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Shepherd went 2-for-5 with a run scored.

                The second game saw the two squads combine on 27 hits. WNCC, however, led from start to finish, jumping out to a 5-0 lead before watching the Bucs cut the lead to 5-4.

                WNCC scored once in the first as Hawryluk singled and scored on a stolen base. WNCC added two runs each in the second and third innings. Agle belted a 2-run home run in the second, while Cash had a 2-run dinger in the third inning.

                The Cougars put the game away by scoring twice in the fourth and three times in the fifth to pick up their 34th win of the season.

                WNCC pounded out 14 hits as five players finished with two or more hits. Hawryluk led the way with a 3-for-5 game with three runs scored and two stolen bases. Also collecting two hits each were Hearn, Stubbs, Cash and Gabi Palacios.

                Amanda Jones picked up the win, going seven innings while giving up 13 hits, four five runs and striking out two. She allowed just one earned run, while facing 35 batters and throwing 121 pitches.

                The two squads will be back in action Sunday when they have another doubleheader. The Cougars will then return to action Wednesday when they face Iowa Western Community College in Kearney, before returning home for their final home games next weekend against Garden City Community College.

First Game

WNCC                   100 000 004 -- 5 13 3

Dawson                                000 100 000 -- 1 5 2

WP -- Bianca Duran; 2B -- Aria Agle; HR -- Danielle Hearn.

Second Game

WNCC                   122 230 0 -- 10 14 0

Dawson                                004 010 0 -- 5 13 7

WP -- Amanda Jones; 2B -- Jocelyn Stubbs; HR --- Agle, Kasey Cash.

WNCC baeball drops doubleheader to Lamar on April 21

                The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team just can't find a break in ending their 15 game losing streak after dropping a doubleheader to Lamar Community College Saturday afternoon at Cleveland Field.

                It appeared for the majority of the first game, the Cougars might just find the win column after grabbing an early 3-0 lead, but the Runnin' Lopes scored six late-inning runs to capture the first game of the Empire Conference contest 6-3.

                The second game saw Lamar's Mark Hendrick tossed a 2-hitter in earning the 6-0 shut-out win. Lamar's two victories catapults the Lopes to the top spot in the conference race with a 20-5 mark after NJC split with Otero Junior College Saturday. The Plainsmen won the first game 3-1 before falling 4-3 in the second game. NJC iw 20-6 in conference play.

                The losses for WNCC still keep the Cougars in the hunt for the fourth playoff spot, but they need to get on a winning streak. The Cougars are currently 6-16 in conference and trail Trinidad State for the fourth and final spot. Trinidad is 9-14.

                WNCC and Lamar will be back in action Sunday afternoon for another doubleheader at Cleveland Field. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

                 In Saturday's contests, the Cougars started the contest off on fire, scoring three first inning runs to grab a 3-0 lead.

                Andy Padron led off by drawing a walk followed by Max Brennen getting s single. Padron came in to score on an errand throw on a dropped third-strike to put Vore safely at first. Brennen later scored on a groundout followed by Vore scoring on a groundout for the 3-0 lead.

                Lamar didn't crack the scoreboard until the fourth inning when they scored two runs with two outs to cut the deficit to 3-2. Lamar took the lead in the fifth on lead-off, back-to-back, second-pitch hitting home runs by Garrett Yost and Jackson Gooch. Both dingers went to rightfield.

                Lamar added single runs in the sixth and seventh inning to go up 6-3.

                Lamar's David Leblanc, despite giving up three runs, tossed a one-hitter in the win. LeBlanc struck out seven and walked two to get the win.

                Terry McNabb took the hard-luck loss on the mound. McNabb, the sophomore from Davidson, Saskatchewan, went six innings in giving up 13 hits, five runs and striking out eight. Chalis Wright pitched one inning in the contest, giving up three hits and one run.

                The Cougars only hit was the single by Brennen in the first inning.

                The second game saw the Cougars manage two hits, but Lamar scratched across six runs on nine hits for the win. Lamar's Lead-off hitter Olivier-Dostaler was the scored three times in the contest on 3-for-4 from the plate. Jackson Gooch also had three hits for the Lopes, going 3-for-3 with two doubles. In fact, Lamars scoring came from the team's first four batters.

                WNCC's two hits came in the bottom of the third on a 2-out single by Ernesto Punales. The other hit came in the seventh inning with a single by Vore.

                 Hendrick earned the win on the mound, going all seven innings while striking out five. WNCC also had good pitching as Brett McPhail suffered the loss in going five innings while allowing nine hits, six runs and striking out six. Chris Nadon of Cheyenne, Wyo., tossed the final two innings in allowing no hits and striking out one.

               

First Game

Lamar                    000 221 1 -- 6 16 4

WNCC                   300 000 0 -- 3 1 1

WP -- David LeBlanc, LP -- Terry McNabb; 2B -- Lamar (Pier Olivier-Dostaler, Vincenzo Fresquez, Drew Merten); HR -- Lamar (Garrett Yost, Jackson Gooch).

Second Game

Lamar                    102 030 0 -- 6 9 0

WNCC                   000 000 0 -- 0 2 1

WP -- Mark Hendrick, LP -- Brett McPhail; 2B -- Lamar (Gooch 2, Mitch Robinson).