STERLING, Colo. – Brooke Doumer had 11 RBIs and two grand slams on the day as the Western Nebraska Community College softball team swept a Region IX conference doubleheader from Northeastern Junior College Thursday in Sterling, Colorado.
The first game saw Doumer blast two home runs, including a grand slam in finishing with five hits and six RBIs as the Cougars topped the Plainswomen 11-8. The second game was just as dramatic as Doumer finished with five RBIs, including a home run and two doubles, while Gabby Loya blasted two home runs in leading WNCC to the 15-4 win.
The conference wins secures the Cougars in the top four of the conference standings with a 13-15 record with two conference games left. WNCC will finish off the regular season with a doubleheader Sunday against Otero Junior College beginning at noon. The day will also be sophomore recognition at 11:30 a.m. Otero currently is third in the conference race at 13-15.
"We played collectively as a team today," the sophomore shortstop said. "We got runners on when we needed them and did our job to score them. Our overall energy throughout both games were where we needed it to be and had fun playing the game we love."
Doumer has hit grand slams before, but she said never two in one day.
"My team did a really good job putting me in that position for that to even happen," she said. "Offensively everyone did their job as needed. We played selflessly and did what we needed to do at the plate to score the runners who were on base. We picked each other up both games and continued to put the ball in play and put pressure on their defense."
WNCC never trailed in the first game, grabbing a 3-0 lead on a Doumer solo shot in the first and a Emma McMillan 2-run shot in the second. NJC got to within one, 3-2, after scoring two in the second. After that, the Cougars plated runs in three of the next five innings. WNCC added a single run in the third on a Michaela Kelly run-scoring double.
It was the fourth inning that proved to be the difference. McMillan scored the first run on a Reagan Solomon sacrifice fly. WNCC then loaded the bases and Doumer took the first pitch over the leftfield fence for a grand slam and a 9-2 lead.
NJC added three runs each in the fourth and sixth inning to cut the lead to 9-8, but WNCC added two insurance runs in the seventh on run-scoring singles by Marlee Grant and Doumer.
WNCC finished with 14 hits in the contest, including six extra base hits. Doumer had the hot bat, going 5-for-5 with a double, two home runs, six RBIs, and three runs scored. Loya and McMillan each had two hits for the Cougars. Loya had a double with a run scored, while McMillan had a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
Kelly had the other extra base hit with a double.
McMillan picked up the win in the circle, going 2 2/3 innings in allowing four hits, two runs, while striking out one. Reagan Solomon finished off the game, going 4 1/3 innings in allowing six runs while striking out two.
WNCC opened up a close contest in game two by scoring seven times in the third and six in the fourth for the run-ruled 15-4 win.
WNCC's 7-run, third inning included a single by Alyssa Guymon and a double by Doumer before McMillan scored both runs with a single. Loya then came through with a 2-run bomb to make the score 6-2. With two outs, WNCC added two more runs on run-scoring singles by Jackson and Guymon, and a run-scoring double by Doumer for the 9-2 lead.
The fourth inning was just as offensive for the Cougars with five hits. The big hit in the frame was a 2-out grand slam from Doumer to make the score 15-2. It was Doumer's second grand slam on the day.
WNCC finished with 18 hits in the second game. Loya led the attack with a 4-for-4 game with two home runs, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Doumer had three hits in the contest with two doubles, a home run, five RBIs, and two runs scored.
Five other Cougars also tallied two hits. Solomon had two hits with a home run and two runs scored. Alyssa Guymon, McMillan, Hannah Schaefer, and Grant all had two singles. Schaeer, Grant, and Madi Jackson all scored two runs. Jackson had two RBIs.
McMillan picked up the win in the circle, going three innings in scattering four hits and giving up three runs. Solomon finished the game, tossing the final two innings in scattering three hits, allowing one run, while striking out two.
Game 1
WNCC 121 500 2 – 11 14 2
NJC 020 303 0 – 8 11 4
WP – Emma McMillan
2B – Brooke Doumer, Michaela Kelly, Gabby Loya
HR -- Brooke Doumer 2, Emma McMillan
Game 2
WNCC 027 60 – 15 18 0
NJC 020 20 – 4 7 3
WP – Emma McMillan
2B – Brooke Doumer 2
HR – Brooke Doumer, Gabby Loya 2, Reagan Solomon