MCCOOK – The Western Nebraska Community College softball  team split a Region IX conference doubleheader with McCook on Monday.

                The opener saw WNCC score early and late in grabbing the 7-5 win. The second contest saw McCook score the walk-off run in the eighth inning in earning the 7-6 win.

                WNCC will be back in action for a Region IX conference doubleheader Thursday at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado. WNCC will then return home for a home doubleheader on Saturday against Otero Junior College in sophomore recognition day.

                The first game saw WNCC pound out 11 hits, including a 5-for-5 hitting performance from Brooke Doumer in picking up the win.

                WNCC plated two in the first and one in the second to hold a 3-0 lead. Alyssa Guymon had a run-scoring single in the first inning and then Emma McMillan singled home Marlee Grant in the second.

                McCook came back to grab a 5-3 lead with three in the third and two in the fourth. WNCC rebounded, scoring two in the fifth to tie the game and then scoring single runs in the sixth and seventh for the win.

                Doumer plated the tying run with a run-scoring single that scored Grant in the fifth. Michaela Kelly put the Cougars on top with a lead-off home run in the sixth. McMillan ripped a single in the seventh to score Reagan Solomon with an insurance run.

                Doumer had five singles in the win with a run scored and RBI. Kelly had a home run wile Loya had a double with a RBI. Solomon scored two runs in the contest, while McMillan had two hits and three RBIs.

                McMillan picked up the win in the circle, going seven innings in scattering six hits, allowing five runs, and striking out four.

                The second game saw the two squad combine for 21 hits. WNCC started the contest with a 5-0 lead after scoring two in the first on a Kelly 2-run home run. Kelly put the Cougars up 5-0 with a 3-run shot in the third.

                After McCook tied the game at 5-5, WNCC went up 6-5 with a single run in the fourth when Madi Jackson singled to score Grant.

                McCook tied the game in the seventh on a home run by Kathy MacDiarmid before the Indians won the game in the eighth with a bases-loaded walk.

                WNCC tallied 10 hits in the contest, led by 2-hit performances from Kelly, Doumer, and Loya. Kelly had two home runs with five RBIs and two runs scored. Doumer had two singles with two runs scored, while Loya had a double. McMillan also had a double with a run scored.

Game 1

WNCC                   210 021 1 – 7 11 3

McCook               003 200 0 – 5 6 2

WP – Emma McMillan

2B – Gabby Loya

HR – Michaela Kelly

Game 2

WNCC                   203 100 00 – 6 10 5

McCook               005 000 11 – 7 11 2

LP – Emma McMillan

2B – Gabby Loya, Emma McMillan

HR – Michaela Kelly 2