STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team dropped a conference doubleheader with Northeastern Junior College on Wednesday in Sterling, Colorado.
The first game saw NJC score four late runs to earn the 5-4 win. The second game saw the two squads combine for 30 runs and 26 hits as the Plainswomen earned the 19-11 win.
WNCC will return to action on Friday and Saturday when they have their home openers against Trinidad State Junior College. Friday's contests will begin at 1 p.m. with Saturday twinbill starting at 11 a.m.
Wednesday's opening game saw WNCC jump out to a 3-0 lead through four innings. NJC sliced the lead to 3-2 with two in the fifth and took a 5-3 lead after six.
WNCC had a seventh inning rally. Abi Ramirez started the rally with a single and then Alyssa Guymon walked. Madi Jackson game through with run-scoring single to plate one run, but WNCC couldn't get a clutch hit to score the tying run.
WNCC outhit NJC 10-9 in the game. Jackson led the way with three hits including a double, two singles, and two RBIs. Doumer had two hits in the contest with a double and a run scored.
Emma McMillian suffered the defeat, going six innings in allowing nine hits and five runs. McMillian struck out three and walked five.
The second game proved to be a high scoring contest. NJC jumped out to an 8-0 lead before WNCC mounded a comeback. The Cougars scored four times in the third to slice the lead in half, 8-4.
Doumer started the third-inning explosion with a solo home run. Hannah Schaefer followed with a double. WNCC went on to load the bases with no outs when Reagan Solomon and Emma McMillian each scored one run with grounders before Gabby Loya scored the fourth run with a 2-out single.
WNCC grabbed an 11-9 lead after scoring seven times in the fifth on four hits.
The inning started with Marlee Grant ripping a one-out double. WNCC loaded the bases once again with Schaefer and Jackson each scoring a run with a hit to cut the NJC lead to 9-7. Michaela Kelly followed with a run-scoring single and then McMillian had a grounder to score the tying run.
WNCC went ahead 11-9 after Loya ripped a 2-run double.
The Cougars couldn't hold the lead as NJC plated five runs each in the fifth and sixth to grab the 19-11 win.
WNCC pounded out 12 hits in the contest, while NJC had 14 hits. There were six home runs hit combined. NJC had five home runs while WNCC had one.
There were also six doubles hit in the contest. WNCC had five two-baggers, led by Schaefer's two doubles.
Doumer, Schaefer, Loya, and Grant each had two hits. Schaefer had two doubles, two runs scored and a RBI. Doumer had a double, home run, two runs scored, and a RBI. Jackson and McMillian each had two RBIs, while Loya had three RBIs with a double.
First Game
WNCC 001 200 1 – 4 10 2
NJC 000 023 x – 5 9 0
LP – Emma McMillian;
2B – Brooke Doumer, Madi Jackson.
Second Game
WNCC 004 070 – 11 12 5
NJC 440 155 – 19 14 2
LP – Reagan Solomon;
2B – Brooke Doumer, Marlee Grant, Gabby Loya, Hannah Schaefer 2;
HR – Brooke Doumer.