The Western Nebraska Community College softball team captured their 30th and 31st wins of the year after earning a Region IX sweep over Lamar Community College Sunday at Volunteer Field.
In the opener, Kenzie Sawyer had two home runs and seven RBIs as the Cougars captured the 20-6 win. The second game saw Whitney Fields toss a six-hit complete game shutout in registering the 5-0 win.
This is the 10th straight year the Cougars have won 30 games in a season and moves the Cougars to 13-3 in conference play. WNCC, 31-7, will be back in action Monday when they travel to Northeastern Junior College at 2 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday.
"We played alright. Our bats came alive in the first game," Sawyer said. "We didn't hit as well in the second game, but we did alright."
While the offense was the story in the first game, it was the defense and the pitching performance of Fields in the circle in the second game. Sawyer said anytime you can get a shutout, it is great.
"A shutout is awesome, especially for our pitchers," sawyer said. "We just try to back them up and do our best so they can get those shutouts."
Sunday's first game started out as an offensive slugfest. Lamar scored three runs in its first at bat. WNCC, however, came back and plated four in the first. The big hit in the first frame was a run-scoring triple by Haille Weber.
WNCC followed a strong first with six runs each in the second and third innings. The second inning saw Christian Bobian rip a run-scoring triple followed by a Sawyer 3-run home run. Jade Morton finished off the scoring in the second with a 2-run double.
After that, the Cougars kept their offense sizzling, finishing with 17 hits including seven extra base hits. WNCC's offense wasn't just one player either, but all the batters one through nine.
The third inning saw Weber start the scoring with a 2-run double followed by Sawyer's second home run of the game – a 2-run bomb to rightfield.
WNCC finished off the scoring with a four-run fourth, highlighted by a run-scoring single by Sawyer and a 2-run double by Lauren Oxford.
Sawyer led the way with a 3-for-3 game with four runs scored, two home runs, and seven RBIs. Oxford also had three this with a double, three RBIs, and two runs scored.
Weber finished with two hits, including a double and triple along with three RBIs and four runs scored.
Also ripping out two hits were Jasmine Wessel with a RBI and two runs scored; Morton with a double, three RBIs and a stolen base; and Payten Davies with two singles.
Bobian also had a double along with three runs scored, while Courtney Medina had four runs scored with one hit, two walks and two stolen bases.
Andy Hancock went four innings to get the win from the circle, scattering seven hits with four strikeouts. Davies tossed a scoreless fifth in striking out one and allowing a hit.
The second game was a game that Fields controlled in scattering six hits and striking out 10. Fields walked just one in getting the win.
Offensively, the Cougars did what they needed to for the win. WNCC finished with 10 hits including two hits each from Sawyer, Wessel, and Oxford. Sawyer finished with a double, home runs, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Wessel had a double with a run scored and a RBI.
Weber had the other extra base hit with a 2-run home run in the first. Sawyer's home run was a 2-run shot in the third inning.
First Game
Lamar 301 20 – 6 8 3
WNCC 466 4x – 20 17 1
WP – Andy Hancock; 2B -- Haille Weber, Lauren Oxford, Jade Morton; 3B – Christian Bobian, Haille Weber; HR – Kenzie Sawyer 2.
Second Game
Lamar 000 000 0 – 0 6 0
WNCC 202 001 x – 5 10 2
WP – Whitney Fields; 2B – Jasmine Wessel, Kenzie Sawyer; HR – Haille Weber, Kenzie Sawyer.
