The Western Nebraska Community College and Lamar Community College softball teams will play a third game to decide the Region IX semifinal winner after the two teams split a doubleheader Monday at Volunteer Field.
WNCC received two doubles and three RBIs from Julia Suchan in running to a 9-6 first game win. The second contest saw Lamar finish with 12 hits and Larissa Royer struck out five Cougars in earning the 9-6 win.
The two squads will meet Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the if-necessary game with the winner advancing in the regional tournament to face the winner between Trinidad State Junior College and Otero Junior College in the championship series this week. Trinidad and Otero split contests on Tuesday. Trinidad won the first game 13-8 before Otero captured the second game 26-6. Trinidad and Otero will play an if-necessary game Tuesday as well.
Monday was a tale of two games for WNCC. In the opener, the Cougars plated four runs in the second and then broke a 4-4 tie after three innings to get the win.
Lauren Oxford started the second with a triple and scored on an Emily Selby sacrifice fly. WNCC went up 4-1 after Suchan plated two runs with a 2-out double.
WNCC opened the contest with two runs each in the fourth and fifth, and an insurance run in the sixth. The fourth saw Payten Davies start things with a double. Suchan followed with a run-scoring double and then Madi Jackson singled in Suchan for the 6-4 lead.
WNCC went up 8-5 in the fifth as Cassie Jones and Celyn Whitt each had grounders that scored runs.
Lamar outhit WNCC in the opener 16-10. WNCC received two hits each from Suchan, Jackson, and Oxford. Suchan finished with two doubles, three RBIs, and a run scored. Jackson had two singles with a run scored and a RBI. Oxford had a triple with two runs scored and a RBI.
Ashley Thomas picked up the win in the circle, allowing 16 hits and just six runs. Thomas struck out three.
Lamar outhit WNCC in the second contest as well 12-8. Lamar also plated runs in four of the seven innings, including five runs in the second.
The Cougars opened the game with two in the first on doubles by Celyn Whiit and Jasmine Wessel. Lamar came back with five in the second and one in the third to grab a 6-2 lead. WNCC came back with two in the third on a 2-run Jackson home run to cut the deficit to 6-4.
Lamar kept the pressure on, scoring two in the fourth and one in the fifth for a 9-4 lead.
WNCC tried coming back, scoring just once in the sixth and seventh. The Cougars also left plenty of runners on base.
WNCC, 38-15, had just two players finish with at least two hits in the contest. Suchan had two doubles with a RBI and run scored, while Jasmine Wessel had a double, run scored, and a RBI. Whitt had a double with two runs scored, while Jackson and Emily Selby each had home runs.
Game One
Lamar 103 011 0 – 6 16 5
WNCC 040 221 x – 9 10 4
WP – Ashley Thomas, LP – Lauren Reed; 2B – WNCC (Julia Suchan 2, Payten Davies), Lamar (Mariah Lopez, Mercedes Salazar, Keilee Womack); 3B – WNCC (Lauren Oxford).
Second Game
Lamar 051 210 0 – 9 12 1
WNCC 202 001 1 – 6 8 1
WP – Larissa Royer, LP – Ashley Thomas; 2B – WNCC (Jasmine Wessel, Julia Suchan 2, Celyn Whitt), Lamar (Caitlin McCarthy); HR – WNCC (Emily Selby, Madi Jackson), Lamar (Kelsee Bushell).