STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team saw their season come to an end with a heart-breaking 10-9 loss to Luna Community College at the Region IX tournament in Sterling, Colorado, on Friday.

                The Cougars finish the season at 11-36 and will graduate 11 of the 13 players on the team. The two players returning are Baylie Krueger and Devyn Priselac.

                WNCC head coach Courtney Medina said the 11 sophomores were special to the program in their two years.

                "We're thankful for the sophomore class and what they have done in their two years in the program and are excited about the future for Baylie and Devyn," Medina said. "Thankful for all the support we have received through this year."

                Friday's contest was one that slipped through the team's hands despite playing well.

                The Cougars started the scoring with five runs in the third inning on seven hits. Arianah Plorin started the inning with a single and came in to score on a Victoria Wharton single. With two outs, Chloe Cronquist singled home Wharton. Sianna Lewis made it 3-0 nothing with a run-scoring double. WNCC made it 5-0 when Morgan Dustin and Bree Henson had run-scoring singles.

                Luna answered right back with three runs in the third on two home runs.

                WNCC came back and put two more runs in the fourth when Devyn Priselac led off with a double and scored on a Wharton hit that resulted in an error. Wharton came in to score on a Cronquist double to make it 7-3.

                Luna came right back and plated three runs in the bottom of the fourth on three hits to trail the Cougars 7-6. The Roughriders took an 8-7 lead with two runs in the fifth inning with all the runs coming with two outs on just two hits.      

                WNCC responded with two in the sixth to regain the lead at 9-8 when Erin Hurst had a one-out single. WNCC loaded the bases with two outs after back-to-back walks by Lewis and DemiRae Woolsey. Dustin then slammed a single to score the two runs for the lead.

                WNCC held Luna scoreless in the bottom of the sixth and had an opportunity to add insurance runs in the seventh when Plorin and Priselac had lead-off singles, but both runners were stranded in scoring position.

                That set up the seventh for Luna where with one out, the Roughriders ended the game in walk-off fashion with one out.

                WNCC outhit Luna 16-12 in the contest. The difference was runners left on base, where the Cougars left even on base compared to just six for Luna, including runners at third base the last three innings.

                WNCC was led at the plate by Cronquist and Dustin, who each had three hits. Cronquist went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Dustin was 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Both hitters had a double in the contest.

                Henson, Plorin, and Priselac each had two hits in the contest. Wharton had two RBIs with her one hit.

                WNCC also earned some honors at the tournament with the announcement of the all-region team. Wharton made First Team All-Region for outfield while Dustin was an All-Region honorable mention selection.

                Other games at the regional tournament saw Trinidad State eliminate Otero 15-5 and the winner's bracket final game saw McCook Community College up 5-3 over Northeastern Junior College in the bottom of the fifth when lightning and rain put a halt to the contest and will be resumed at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

WNCC                   005 202 0 – 9 16 0
Luna                      003 320 2 – 10 12 2
LP – Caley Leslie.
2B – Chloe Cronquist, Morgan Dustin.