TRINIDAD, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team plated 28 runs in sweeping a Region IX conference doubleheader from Trinidad State Junior College on Saturday in Trinidad, Colorado.
The first game saw the two squads combine for 31 runs and 36 hits as WNCC won 18-13.
Game two was just as offensive explosive as the two squads combined on six home runs as WNCC won 10-6.
Madi Jackson, who had a home run and double in the opening game, said the team played well.
"We played really well today," Jackson said. "We really were able to make adjustments really quick at the plate and back each other up on defense."
The offense was definitely big on the day. WNCC, as a team, combined for 28 runs, 30 hits, five home runs, and seven doubles.
"Our offense was huge today because we were able to get runners on and score them," Jackson said. "I think we were able to win today by working as a team to bring in runs."
In the opener, WNCC scored at least one run in six of the seven innings. The Cougars started strong, plating five in the first and four in the second for a 9-1 lead.
The big hits in the first inning were a Gabby Loya run-scoring single, an Emma McMillan run-scoring double, and a Brooke Doumer run-scoring single.
The second inning saw WNCC score four runs with two outs. Doumer had a 2-run single followed by Reagan Solomon with a run-scoring single for the 9-1 lead.
WNCC picked up two home runs in the fourth. Marlee Grant led off the inning with a dinger and then Jackson had a 2-run shot for a 15-9 lead.
WNCC added single runs in the sixth and seventh. Solomon had a solo home run to lead off the seventh for the Cougars.
WNCC had 19 hits in the contest. Loya and Kelly each had three hits. Loya had three singles with three RBIs, and three runs scored. Kelly also had three singles with two runs scored.
Alyssa Guymon, Jackson, McMillan, Doumer, Solomon and Schaefer all had two hits. Jackson finished the game with a double, home run, four runs scored and two RBIs. Solomon had a home run with three RBIs, while Grant had a home run with two RBIs.
Doumer had three RBIs and two runs scored, while McMillan had a double with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Solomon picked up the win in the circle, going the distance in allowing 17 hits, 13 runs and just seven earned runs. Solomon struck out two and walked just two.
The second game started out offensive with each team plating three runs in the first. WNCC's three runs came on a Michaela Kelly 3-run blast.
After that, WNCC shutout Trinidad, holding them to zero runs over the next five innings. In the meantime, WNCC added single runs in the third and fourth for a 5-3 lead. The third saw McMillan double home Kelly and the fourth saw Loya single home Guymon.
WNCC plated three more in the sixth and then two in the seventh. WNCC"s three six-inning runs all came with two outs. With the bases juiced, McMillan hit a double that scored Rebecca Svoboda and Kelly for the 8-3 lead.
The seventh saw Marlee Grant lead off with a home run and then Jackson scored a run with a triple.
WNCC finished with 11 hits in game two. McMillan led the way with three hits, including two doubles and three RBIs.
Collecting two hits each were Guymon, Jackson, and Kelly. Jackson had a double, triple, run scored, and RBI, while Kelly had a double, home run, three RBIs, and three runs scored.
McMillan picked up the win, going seven innings in scattering eight hits and allowing six runs. McMillan also struck out four.
WNCC will be back in action Sunday when they face conference-leading Lamar Community College in a doubleheader.
Game 1
WNCC 543 401 1 – 18 19 6
Trinidad 153 020 2 – 13 17 3
WP – Reagan Solomon.
2B – Madi Jackson, Emma McMillan, Hannah Schaefer.
HR – Marlee Grant, Madi Jackson, Reagan Solomon.
Game 2
WNCC 301 103 2 – 10 11 0
Trinidad 300 000 3 – 6 8 3
WP – Emma McMillan.
2B – Madi Jackson, Michaela Kelly, Emma McMillan 2
3B – Madi Jackson
HR – Marlee Grant, Michaela Kelly.