EL DORADO, Kan. – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team gave it all they had, but fell to Butler Community College in the District E playoff Wednesday in El Dorado, Kansas.

                The Cougars dropped the first game 9-5 after giving up seven first-inning runs. WNCC stayed strong in the second game but came up short 8-4 to finish their season at 53-13.

                Butler, moves to 48-6 on the season and ran their winning streak to 33 games. The Grizzlies advance to next week's NJCAA national tournament in St. George, Utah.

                In the opener, each team had nine hits and WNCC had an early lead after scoring two runs in the first inning. After that, the Grizzlies scored seven first inning runs and then held off the Cougar comeback for the win.

                WNCC's quick 2-0 lead was aided by run-scoring singles by Kenzie Sawyer and Jasmine Wessel. Butler's seven first-inning runs came on a grand slam and then a solo home run in back-to-back plate appearances.

                Butler went up 8-2 with a single run in the fourth before the Cougars started to make a comeback with a single run in the fifth and two in the sixth. The fifth saw Christian Bobian score on a Sawyer double.

                In the sixth, WNCC scored two runs on just one hit, a single by Andy Hancock to start off the inning.

                WNCC was led at the plate by the two-hit attack from Haille Weber, Sawyer, and Hancock. Weber had a run scored and a stolen base, while Sawyer had a double with two RBIs and a run scored. Hancock finished with a double and a run scored.

                WNCC battled in the second game as well. Butler outhit the Cougars 9-8 and only held a 4-2 lead heading into the final two innings.

                Butler scored four times in the top of the second before WNCC sliced the lead in half with single runs in the second and fifth. Celyn Whitt had the run-scoring single in the second while Wessel doubled home Bobian in the fifth.

                WNCC finished off the scoring with a rally in the seventh. Courtney Medina led off with a double followed by a Bobian line shot that flew over the outfield fence for a home run to bring the score to 8-4.

                Bobian led the way from the plate with two hits, including a double, home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Also collecting two hits were Courtney Medina and Celyn Whitt. Medina had a double with a run scored, while Whitt had two singles with a RBI.

                WNCC finishes the season with 53 wins and will say goodbye to seven sophomores in Courtney Medina, Christian Bobian, Kenzie Sawyer, Andy Hancock, Whitney Fields, Desirae Visser, and Jade Morton.

Frist Game

WNCC                   200 012 0 – 5 9 2

Butler                    700 101 x – 9 9 2

LP – Andy Hancock; 2B – Kenzie Sawyer, Andy Hancock.

Second Game

Butler                    040 002 2 – 8 9 2

WNCC                   010 010 2 – 4 8 5

LP – Andy Hancock; 2B – Christian Bobian, Jasmine Wessel, Courtney Medina; HR – Christian Bobian.