The Western Nebraska Community College softball team earned a split with Otero College in Region IX conference action Saturday afternoon at Volunteer Field in Scottsbluff

                In the first game, Morgan Dustin slammed a grand slam and Arianah Plorin had a 2-run dinger as the Cougars earned a 14-5 win over the Rattlers.

                The second game saw WNCC start out with a 6-0 lead, but Otero scored at least one run in the final six innings in earning the 15-10 win and get the split on the day.

                The two teams will be back in action Sunday for a doubleheader beginning at 12 noon and then wrap up the 5-game series with an 11 a.m. contest on Monday.

                The first game saw Otero score three on a 3-run home run by Abigail Swartz. WNCC answered with five in the first for a 5-3 lead. The Cougars added four more in the second as Plorin led off with a double followed by Sianna Lewis and Chloe Cronquist earning walks to load the bases. Dustin then onloaded the bases with a grand slam and a 9-3 lead.

                Otero added one in the third, but WNCC plated four in the bottom of the frame with Devyn Priselac leading off with a single followed by Plorin's 2-run home run. WNCC scored two more runs on sacrifice flies by DemiRae Woolsey and Bailey Krueger for the 13-4 lead.

                WNCC added a single run in the fourth as Priselac scored on a Lewis single. Otero scored once in the fifth on a home run, but that was all that winning pitcher DesaRae Woolsey and relief pitcher Caley Leslie would allow.

                Woolsey went four innings in giving up four runs on six hits, while Leslie tossed the fifth in giving up one run with a strike out.

                Offensively, WNCC had 11 hits. Priselac went 3-for-4 with three runs scored while Plorin went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, a double, home run, and two RBIs. Dustin went 2-for-3 with a home run, three runs scored, and four RBIs.

                The second game saw the two teams combine for 25 runs and 27 hits. WNCC scored in the first innings of the game while Otero scored in the final six innings.

                WNCC grabbed a 6-0 lead after the first inning as Dustin had a run-scoring single and DemiRae Woolsey had a 3-run triple.

                Otero tied the game in the second with six runs on five hits and only one of the six runs was earned as Kira Pride had a solo home run to lead off the frame. WNCC answered with a run in the second as Plorin walked and scored on a passed ball. WNCC loaded the bases, but couldn't get the runs in to lead 7-6.

                Otero went up with a single run in the third, but WNCC tied the game with a run in the third as Victoria Wharton singled and stole third and came in to score on an overthrow.

                Otero answered with two in the fourth as Abigail Swartz had a solo home run and then Pride came in to score on a groundout for a 9-7 lead. WNCC got one back in the bottom of the frame as DemiRae Woolsey singled and scored on a Krueger single.

                Otero went up 11-9 with two in the fifth only to watch the Cougars plate one in the bottom of the fifth when Wharton scored on a Plorin single.

                Otero led 12-10 with one in the sixth and then went up 15-10 with three in the seventh to get the win.

                WNCC had nine hits in the contest while Otero had 18. WNCC was led by Wharton had three hits and scored three runs. Priselac had two hits along with Woolsey.

Game 1

Otero                    301 01 – 5 7 1

WNCC                   544 1x – 14 11 2

WP – DesaRae Woolsey.

2B – Arianah Plorin

HR – Morgan Dustin, Arianah Plorin

Game 2

Otero                    061 221 3 – 15 18 1

WNCC                   611 110 0 – 10 9 3

LP – DesaRae Woolsey.

3B – DemiRae Woolsey.