NORFOLK – Jasmine Wessel and Lauren Oxford each had two home runs and the Western Nebraska Community College softball team combined for 26 runs and 32 hits in taking a doubleheader from Northeast Community College Wednesday evening in Norfolk.

                Oxford had two home runs and five RBIs in the opening game as the Cougars finished with 13 hits in posting a 11-4 win over Northeast.

                The second game saw the Cougars connect for 19 hits, including a home run and double by Jasmine Wessel to topple the Hawks 15-4.

                WNCC took control of the first game by putting up four in the first and adding three in the third and two in the fourth for a quick 9-2 lead.

                WNCC's four first-inning runs came on three hits. Celyn Whitt led off with a double and scored on a Wessel double.

                The Cougars added three more in the third as Wessel and Oxford had back-to-back solo home runs for the 7-1 lead.

                WNCC added two runs each in the fourth and sixth inning. The big blow in the sixth was a 2-run home run by Oxford.

                Oxford paced the Cougars with four hits, including two home runs, five RBIs, three runs scored, and a stolen base. Wessel finished the game with three hits, including a double, home run, three RBIs and four runs scored.

                The only other Cougars with multiple hits was Whitt, who had two doubles.

                 Sarah Linford picked up the win in the circle, going seven innings in allowing 11 hits and four runs while striking out one and walking two.

                Game two saw WNCC come back from a 3-1 deficit after three innings to open up the contest with a seven spot in the fourth. The big fourth inning was highlighted eight hits including doubles by Wessel and Oxford for an 8-3 lead.

                WNCC pushed the lead even further with two runs in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Linford and Cassie Jones for a 10-2 lead.

                The Cougars put the game on ice with five runs in the sixth. Wessel led off with a solo home run followed by singles by Oxford, Alyssa Guymon, Payton Davies, and Linford before Whitt scored three with a line drive double to centerfield.

                WNCC finished with 19 hits in the game. Wessel and Jones each had three hits in the game, while Whitt, Oxford, Guymon, Linford, Julia Suchan, and Payten Davies each had two hits.

                Wessel finished with a double, a home run, three RBIs, and a run scored, while Jones had a double with three runs scored.

                Whitt had a big game with four RBIs with a double and two runs scored, while Suchan had three RBIs and two runs scored.

                Ashley Thomas picked up the win in the circle, going six innings in scattering eight hits, striking out two, and walking three.

                WNCC, 7-3, will be back in action March 4-5 when they travel Concordia, Kansas, for the Cloud County tournament. The Cougars then return home March 8 for a doubleheader with North Platte Community College.

First Game

WNCC                   403 202 0 – 11 13 0

Northeast           101 011 0 – 4 11 2

WP – Sarah Linford; 2B – Jasmine Wessel, Celyn Whitt 2; HR – Jasmine Wessel, Lauren Osford 2.

Game Two

WNCC (7-3)        100 725 – 15 19 3

Northeast           102 001 – 4 8 2

WP – Ashley Thomas; 2B – Cassie Jones, Celyn Whitt, Sarah Linford, Lauren Oxford; HR – Jasmine Wessel.