BEATRICE – Andy Hancock tossed a no-hitter and the Western Nebraska Community College softball team put up 39 total runs in sweeping a doubleheader from Southeast Community College Friday afternoon in Beatrice.
Hancock stuck out 11 and recorded a complete-game shutout in leading the Cougars to the 11-0 first-game win. The nightcap saw WNCC blast five home runs, including a 4-for-4 performance from Hancock with four RBIs and a home run to lead the Cougars to the 28-1 five-inning win.
The 28 runs scored is the most scored since 2011 when the Cougars scored 29 in a game against the University of Wyoming on April 17.
The wins move the Cougars to 26-6 on the season as they prepare to jump back into Region IX conference action when they host McCook Community College on Tuesday at 3 and 5 p.m.
WNCC's offensive output Friday was highlighted by 42 total hits in the doubleheader with nine doubles, two triples, and eight home runs.
And the offense didn't come alive until late in game one. Up until that time, though, Hancock was taking care of business with her sterling pitching performance. The sophomore right hander walked just two batters – both to Southeast's Megan Hartman – in facing just 23 batters in seven innings. Hancock struck out 11 and had command of her pitches, tossing 87 pitches with 66 going for strikes.
WNCC's offense was slow-starting in holding a 1-0 lead after four innings. What WNCC did after that in the final three innings of game one and the five innings of game two was impressive.
The Cougars scored three times in the fifth, a single run in the sixth and six in the seventh for the 11-0 win. Then the Cougars unloaded for 28 runs on 29 hits in game two.
WNCC had five players finish with multiple hits in the opener. Payten Davies was the big hitter for the Cougars in the opener, finishing with three hits, including a double and two home runs. Davies had a solo shot to lead off the fifth and then a 2-run shot in the seventh. Davies finished the game with four RBIs, two runs scored, and a stolen base.
Jade Morton also had a solo home run in the sixth while finishing with two RBIs and two runs scored on two hits.
Courtney Medina finished the game with three singles in scoring two runs with a stolen base.
Christian Bobian and Kenzie Sawyer each had two hits. Bobian had a double with a RBI and two runs scored, while Sawyer had a double with a RBI, two runs scored, and two stolen bases.
WNCC continued the offense in game two, belting 29 hits with 12 extra base hits. WNCC had seven players finish with three or more hits in the contest.
Hancock, Haille Weber, and Celyn Whitt paced the team with four hits each. Hancock and Whitt each went 4-for-4 with three runs scored. Hancock also had a double, home run, and four RBIs; while Whitt had two RBIs and a triple.
Weber went 4-for-5 with five RBIs and four runs scored. Weber finished with two doubles and a home run.
Sawyer also finished with five RBIs with her 3-for-4 game. Sawyer had a double, home run, four runs scored, and a stolen base to go with her five RBIs.
Picking up three hits each were Medina, Bobian, and Whitney Fields. Medina had three runs scored with three singles, while Bobian had a double and five runs scored.
Fields, who was also the winning pitcher, had a double, home run, three RBIs, four runs scored, and a stolen base.
Emily Selby also was perfect from the plate, going 2-for-2 with a home run, four RBIs, and a run scored.
Davies had two hits in the game with two singles, two runs scored, and a RBI.
WNCC led 7-0 after three innings before blowing things wide open with a 12-run fourth and a 9-run fifth. The fourth saw the Cougars blast three home runs, including 3-run shots by Hancock and Weber, and a solo home from Sawyer.
The fifth inning saw WNCC's nine runs come on nine hits. Selby got the things started with a 3-run shot to centerfield. Selby finished off the scoring by getting a run-scoring single to go up 28-0. In between Selby's two hits, Fields had a solo home run, while Bobian had a 3-run double and Weber a run-scoring double.
Fields picked up the in the second game, tossing a one hitter while striking out seven. She allowed only two hits and one run, all in the seventh inning. Fields faced just 19 batters in five innings of work.
First Game
WNCC 010 031 6 – 11 13 0
Southeast 000 000 0 – 0 0 0
WP – Andy Hancock; 2B – Christian Bobian, Kenzie Sawyer, Payten Davies; 3B – Haille Weber; HR – Payten Davies 2, Jade Morton.
Second Game
WNCC (26-6) 232 (12)9 – 28 29 2
Southeast 000 01 – 1 2 2
WP – Whitney Fields; 2B – Christian Bobian, Kenzie Sawyer, Andy Hancock, Haille Weber 2, Whitney Fields; 3B – Celyn Whitt; HR – Emily Selby, Kenzie Sawyer, Andy Hancock, Haille Weber, Whitney Fields.