STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team showed a lot of fight, but in the end, the Cougars dropped a conference doubleheader to Northeastern Junior College on Monday in Sterling, Colorado.
The first game saw NJC score 10 first-inning runs and then held on to get the 23-15 win that saw the Cougars get home runs from Chloe Cronquist and DemiRae Woolsey.
The second game was a defensive battle as NJC held on for the 5-3 win.
The first inning in the first game was the difference. WNCC started things with a run when Victoria Wharton scored on a ground out. NJC answered with 10 runs on nine hits and five of the runs came with two outs.
NJC added six more in the second to grab a 16-1 lead. WNCC came back with two in the third to cut the lead to 16-3 when Cronquist scored on a Sianna Lewis double and Morgan Dustin came in on a Baylie Krueger single.
The score went to 21-3 when NJC plated five in the bottom of the third. That was when the Cougar offense came alive, scoring six times in the fourth and fifth innings. The fourth saw Erin Hurst start things with a single and scored on a Wharton bunt in which she reached on an error. Wharton came in to score on a Cronquist single. WNCC loaded the bases and Woolsey scored one with a single and another came in when Krueger was hit by a pitch. Hurst then scored two when she reached on an error to make it 21-9.
NJC added two in the bottom of the fourth to make it 23-9. WNCC made a rally to come back in the fifth to extend the game. Cronquist started the inning with a solo home run. Lewis then walked and Woolsey delivered a 2-run home run to make it 23-12. Krueger followed with a single and then Maddie Johnson and Wharton each received free passes to load the bases. Plorin scored one as he hit a ball that scored one run while she reached on an error. NJC pitcher Michaela Moorehouse from Torrington, Wyoming, then walked in two more runs to make it 23-15 but that was all WNCC could get to end the game.
WNCC finished the game with 13 hits including four players collecting two hits each. Cronquist led the way with a 2-for-3 game with a home run, three runs scored, and four RBIs with two walks. Baylie Krueger also had two hits with two RBIs and a run scored, while Arianah Plorin was 2-for-5 and Woolsey was 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and two runs scored.
Game two was a defensive contest with the two teams scratching across runs. NJC started things with two in the first only to watch WNCC plate one in the second. Lewis led off with a single followed by a double by Dustin. Lewis later scored on a groundout.
NJC added another run in the second for a 3-1 lead. The Cougars made it 3-2 with a run in the fourth. Dustin led off with a single followed by singles by Krueger and Erin Hurst to load the bases. Pinch-runner Bree Henson scored on a groundout.
NJC added two more in the fourth for a 5-2 lead. WNCC plated another run in the fifth when Plorin led off with a single and scored on a Lewis Sacrifice fly for the 5-3 score.
WNCC outhit NJC in the contest 9-7. Wharton had two singles while Dustin had two hits including a double.
WNCC will be back in action this weekend with games Friday through Sunday in Las Vegas, New Mexico, when they face Luna Community College. WNCC will then return home for a rescheduled doubleheader with Otero College on April 25 beginning at 11 a.m.
Game 1
WNCC 102 66 – 15 13 3
NJC (10)65 2x – 23 23 4
LP – Caley Leslie.
2B – Sianna Lewis.
HR – DemiRae Woolsey, Chloe Cronquist.
Game 2
WNCC 010 110 0 – 3 9 2
NJC 210 200 x – 5 7 0
LP – DesaRae Woolsey.
2B – Morgan Dustin.