CONCORDIA, Kan. – The Western Nebraska Community College went 2-1 in the first day of the Cloud County tournament on Saturday in Concordia, Kansas.

                The Cougars opened the tourney with a thrilling, seventh-inning win over Iowa Western 9-8 on a Julia Suchan walk-off double. The Cougars followed that by falling to Highland Community College 13-8. WNCC rebounded by pounding out 21 hits, including two home runs and a six RBI performance from Payten Davies in registering a 21-13 win over Northeast Community College.

                WNCC will finish the tournament Sunday with games against Southeast Community College and Iowa Central Community College before returning home to host North Platte Community College on Wednesday.

                WNCC opened the tournament with the come-from-behind win over Iowa Western a week after the Reivers took two from the Cougars. And the game was intense. WNCC led 5-4 after three innings only to watch Iowa Western take an 8-5 lead heading into the seventh.

                The seventh inning started with back-to-back doubles by Emily Selby and Madi Jackson. Jackson's double scores Selby and then Jackson comes around to score to make it 8-7 on a ground out. With two outs, Davies comes through with a 2-out single and comes around to score the tying run on a Celyn Whitt double. Suchan then gets a double to score Whitt with the winning run.

                WNCC was led at the plate by Jackson with a 4-for-4 game with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBIs. Selby also recorded two doubles in her 2-hit game with three runs scored. Also collecting multiple hits was Whitt with a double and three RBIs.

                Ashley Thomas picked up the win in the circle, going seven innings in allowing five hits and just one earned run.

                The second game was an offensive show as the Cougars pounded out 21 hits with four doubles and four home runs to get the 21-13 win. WNCC plated 12 runs in the second inning behind two home runs by Davies. The Cougars finished off the game by scoring seven times in the fourth.

                Davies finished the game with a 3-for-4 game with two home runs, six RBIs, and two runs scored. Cassie Jones paced the team with a 4-for-4 game with three runs scored with a RBI.

                Four Cougars picked up three hits in the contest. Whitt, Jackson, Jasmine Wessel, and Sarah Linford all had three hits. Wessel had two doubles, five RBIs, and two runs scored, while Whitt had a home run, two runs scored, and a RBI. Jackson finished with a double and three runs scored, while Linford had a double, home run, two runs scored, and four RBIs.

                Lauren Oxford and Emily Selby each had two hits with two runs scored.

                Linford picked up the win in the circle, going five innings in scattering nine hits and striking out two.

                In between the two wins, the Cougars suffered an 11-7 setback to Highland Community College. The Cougars finished the game with 10 hits in the contest, but committed four errors.

                The Cougars were led by Selby with three hits, including a double, two RBIs, and a run scored. Suchan also tallied a double in the contest. Davies hammered a home run and had two RBIs.

                Davies finished the first day of the tournament with three home runs.

First Game

Iowa Western   022 310 0 -- 8 5 3

WNCC                   032 000 4 – 9 11 10

WP – Ashley Thomas; 2B – Emily Selby 2, Madi Jackson 2, Julia Suchan, Celyn Whitt.

Second Game

WNCC                   312 100 0 – 7 10 4

Highland              232 013 x – 11 13 3

LP – Ashley Thomas; 2B – Emily Selby, Julia Suchan; HR – Payten Davies.

Game Three

Northeast           404 14 – 13 9 2

WNCC                   0(12)2 7x – 21 24 4

WP – Sarah Linford; 2B – Jasmine Wessel 2, Madi Jackson, Sarah Linford; HR – Celyn Whitt, Sarah Linford, Payten Davies 2.