The Western Nebraska Community College softball team received strong pitching performances from Andy Hancock and Whitney Fields to register a sweep over Southeast Community College Sunday at Volunteer Field.
Hancock fanned 13 and Haille Weber blasted a grand slam for the 11-0 win. The second game saw Fields toss a one-hitter, while fanning six in registering the 10-1 win.
"We did well today but we are still improving," Payten Davies, who had a home run on her birthday Sunday, said. "The defense also did well. We still have work to do, but we did better."
Definitely the pitching staff performed extraordinarily in both games along with offensive timely hits. Hancock's 13 strikeouts was two off tying of the school record of 15 set by Kelsey Garner in 2008. Hancock scattered just three hits in the opener.
While Hancock was striking out 13, Southeast pitcher Megan Hartman also struck out 10 for the Storm. The difference was Hartman allowed 10 hits and gave up nine earned runs.
The first game also saw WNCC pound out 10 hits, including a double and home run by Kenzie Sawyer and a triple and home run by Weber.
WNCC scored one in the first and then opened up the contest with three runs in the third and fifth and four in the sixth. Courtney Medina opened the third with a single and scored on a triple by Weber. Sawyer followed with a 2-run shot that left the right to deep rightfield.
The Cougars added three more in the fifth on just three hits, including a run-scoring double by Sawyer for a 7-0 lead.
WNCC ended the game on the run rule in the sixth. WNCC loaded the bases with one out and Weber worked the pitch-count to 3-2 while fouling off three pitches. Weber then unloaded on the eighth pitch, sending the ball deep over centerfield for the grand slam to end the game.
Weber and Sawyer each led the team with four hits each. Weber had six RBIs with two runs scored, while Sawyer had three RBIs and two runs scored.
What was really key in the win was the Cougars speed on the base paths, swiping eight bases. Courtney Medina had four stolen bases while Christian Bobian had two. Celyn Whitt and Lauren Oxford each stole one base.
While Fields dominating second-game performance was also highlighted by a Cougar offense that pounded out 12 hits with four extra base hits.
Christian Bobian led the way with a 3-for-4 game with a triple and three runs scored. Davies also had three hits in the contest, including a solo home run and two runs scored. Davies said the second game was crucial for her since she wasn't hitting well and needed the confidence boost.
"The home run felt pretty good," Davies said. "I haven't been hitting too well and I really needed that for confidence."
Also collecting two hits each were Jasmine Wessel and Lauren Oxford. Oxford had two singles, three RBIs and a run scored, while Wessel had a double with two RBIs and a run scored.
Southeast took a quick 1-0 lead in the first on a sacrifice fly. WNCC answered with five runs on five hits. The big hits in the inning came from Oxford with a 2-run single and Wessel with a 2-run double.
WNCC scored in each of the next three innings. Bobian led off the second with a triple and scored on an Oxford triple for the 6-1 lead. The next inning saw Davies take a first-pitch strike to centerfield for a solo home followed by a run-scoring triple by Weber for the 8-1 lead.
WNCC, 22-6, will be back in action Tuesday when they travel to Central Community College-Columbus. That game was originally slated for Saturday but was moved up because of weather concerns on Saturday.
First Game
Southeast 000 000 – 0 3 0
WNCC 103 034 – 11 10 0
WP – Andy Hancock; 2B – Kenzie Sawyer; 3B – Haille Weber; HR – Sawyer, Weber.
Second Game
Southeast 100 00 – 1
WNCC (22-6) 512 2x – 10 12 0
WP – Whitney Fields; 2B – Jasmine Wessel; 3B – Weber, Christian Bobian; HR – Payten Davies.