LA JUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team split a doubleheader with Otero Junior College Saturday afternoon in La Junta, Colorado.

                In the opener, WNCC outhit Otero but fell short on the offensive end falling 10-8. The second game of the twinbill saw WNCC outhit Otero 8-7 and hang on for the 5-4 win.

                Saturday's split moves the Cougars to 8-12 in conference action and 12-26 overall. Otero moves to 10-10 in conference and 19-15 overall.

                WNCC will be back in action next week when they host McCook Community College on Wednesday.

                Both games on Saturday were close contests. The second game the Cougars held Otero to scoring runs in just one inning as they received a strong pitching performance from Reagan Solomon. Solomon went the distance in scattering seven runs and allowing four runs. Solomon struck out just one and walked two in tossing just 104 pitches.

                It was the defense behind Solomon that was key and the game-ending double play was key in the win.

                Otero scored only in the third, plating four runs to grab a 4-2 lead.

                WNCC manufactured runs in three of the seven innings to get the win. The Cougars plated two in the second as Alyssa Guymon scored Brooke Doumer and Hannah Schaefer with a single.

                WNCC tied the game with two in the fourth. Guymon and Madi Jackson led off with singles. Michaela Kelly scored on with a sacrifice fly and then Emma McMillan plated the second run with a single.

                The Cougars took the lead with a single run in the sixth on a Gabby Loya solo home run.

                That was all the runs WNCC needed as Solomon and the defense game up big in Otero's final two at bats to get the win.

                Guymon led the Cougars at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Jackson also had two hits with a run scored. Loya had the only extra base hit with a home run.

                The first game was also a tight contest. The difference was a 7-run, fourth inning that Otero put on the board. Other than that, the Cougars manufactured runs once again.

                WNCC out hit Otero 12-11 in the opener. McMillan led the team with three hits, including a double, RBI, and a run scored.

                Jackson and Kelly each had two hits. Jackson had a double with two runs scored, while Kelly had two singles, two RBIs, and a run scored.

                Solomon also had a double in the win.

                WNCC struck first, leading 5-0 at one time after scoring a single run in the third and four runs in the fourth. The scoring started in the third after Kelly singled home Jackson.

                The Cougars continued with the four runs in the fourth, scoring all four runs with two outs. Kelly and McMillan each had run-scoring singles, followed by a 2-run single by Hannah Schaefer.

                Otero came back with seven in the fourth and three in the fifth to take a 10-6 lead. WNCC kept fighting, plating one in the fifth and two in the sixth. The fifth saw Annessa Escamilla score on a Doumer sacrifice to cut the deficit to 7-6.

                The sixth saw Schaefer and Solomon each score on a Guymon grounder that was booted to bring the team to within 10-8, but that was as close as the Cougars could get.

Game 1

WNCC                   001 412 0 – 8 12 2

Otero                    000 730 x – 10 11 3

LP – Emma McMillan

2B – Madi Jackson, Emma McMillan, Reagan Solomon

Game 2

WNCC                   020 201 0 – 5 8 4

Otero                    004 000 0 – 4 7 1

WP – Reagan Solomon

HR – Gabby Loya