The Western Nebraska Community College and Trinidad State Junior College softball teams will play one more game for all the marbles after the two split contests Friday at Volunteer Field in the Region IX Tournament Championship Series.

                In the opener, Trinidad scored five runs after trailing 4-2 to capture the 7-4 win. The second game saw Whitney Fields strike out six and the Cougars forced a deciding third game with a 6-2 win.

                The two teams will play for the Region IX championship Saturday at 12 noon at Volunteer Field. The winner advances to face Butler Community College in the district playoffs next week.

                Haille Weber, who finished with four RBIs in the two games on Friday, said it came down to base hits.

                "The first game we did not put the ball in play as much as we should have," she said. "We came out stronger the second game by having timely hits and quality plays on defense. Someone just needs to get the game rolling for it to become a domino effect for the whole team. Trinidad came out with base hits the first game, which was very effective for them."

                That makes Saturday's deciding game all that more important.

                "I have a feeling tomorrow's {Saturday} game will have a little more competition because both teams have a chip on their shoulder by splitting today's games," Weber said. "It all comes down to who wants it more."

WNCC rebounded from the opening game loss in fine fashion in shutting down the Trinidad bats early. In the meantime, the Cougars also manufactured runs to grab the early 3-0 lead.

                WNCC scored twice in the first and a single run in the third. The big hit in the first was a 2-run triple by Kenzie Sawyer that scored Christian Bobian and Weber.

                Trinidad scored one in the fifth, but WNCC came back with three in the sixth to pull ahead 6-1. The big hits in the sixth included a run-scoring double by Courtney Medina and a 2-run double by Weber.

                WNCC finished with 10 hits in the game compared to just six for Trinidad. All of the Trojans' hits were singles. WNCC had four extra base hits in the game.

                Weber and Medina led the way with a 3-for-4 games. Weber had two doubles, two RBIs, and a run scored, Medina had a double, run scored, and a RBI. Sawyer also finished with two hits, including a triple, two RBIs, a run scored, and a stolen base.

                Fields earned the win in the circle, tossing the complete game with six strike outs and scattering six hits. She only walked one while delivering just 87 pitches.

                The first game saw Trinidad scored three runs in the fourth and two in the sixth to post the 7-4 win. WNCC started strong with two runs in the first, only to watch Trinidad tie the game with two in the third. WNCC retook the lead in the third on a 2-run home run by Weber. After that, Trinidad pitcher Jessica Salabto shut down the Cougar offense in earning the win.

                Trinidad outhit WNCC 9-6 as each team had three extra base hits.

                WNCC was led by Bobian with two hits, both doubles as the senior scored two runs, drove in another, and swiped a base. Weber had two RBIs with her home run.

First Game

Trinidad                002 302 0 – 7 9 2

WNCC                   202 000 0 – 4 6 2

WP – Jessica Salabto, LP – Andy Hancock; 2B – WNCC (Christian Bobian 2), TSJC (Isabella Navarro 2) HR – WNCC (Haille Weber), TSJC (Elizabeth Aguilar).

Second Game

Trinidad                000 010 1 – 2 6 2

WNCC                   201 003 x – 6 10 1

WP – Whitney Fields; LP – Demi Madalena; 2B – WNCC (Courtney Medina, Haille Weber 2); 3B – WNCC (Kenzie Sawyer).