LAJUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College split a Region IX conference doubleheader with Otero College on Sunday in LaJunta, Colorado.

                The first game saw the Cougars get home runs from Jenika Fuentes, Madi VanRiper, and Randi Mitchell, including a 4-RBI game from Mitchell in earning the come-from-behind win over Otero 15-10.

                The second game saw the Cougars play well early but Otero scored five late runs to take the 7-1 contest.

                The first game saw Otero jump out to a 5-1 lead after two innings. WNCC's first run came in the second. WNCC took a 7-5 lead with six runs in the fourth inning.

                The fourth saw WNCC start off the inning by loading the bases as Reagan Werth walked and Katelyn Czerpak and Sierra Hilgner got singles. Chayse Cronquist then scored two runs as she reached on an error. Two more runs came in to score when Mykah Klumpp double to tie the game at 5-5. WNCC went ahead 6-5 as Bailey Legere singled to score Klumpp and Legere scored a batter later on a groundout.

                Otero came back to score four in the fifth to take a 9-7 lead. WNCC kept the offense going as they scored three in the sixth and five in the seventh. The sixth started as Klumpp, Fuentes, and Legere all singled and Legere's single scored Klumpp. Mitchell then hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 9-9 and Legere scored one batter later on a Madi VanRiper sacrifice fly for the 10-9 lead.

                WNCC held Otero scoreless in the sixth and then plated five runs in the seventh. Klumpp singles to start off the inning and then Fuentes homered to make it 12-9. Legere then reached on an error and scored on a Mitchell 2-run home run. VanRiper followed with a solo home run to make it 15-9.

                Otero scored just once in the seventh and WNCC closed the door to get the win.

                WNCC had 16 hits in the contest, led by Klumpp with four, including a double and two RBIs and three runs scored. Czerpak and Legere each had three hits with Legere scoring three runs.

                Hilgner and Fuentes each had two hits.

                The second game was close for the first two innings. WNCC opened with a run in the first as Czerpak singles and scored on a Hilgner double. Otero answered with a run in the bottom of the first and then took the lead at 2-1 with a run in the second.

                The Rattlers added three more runs in the fourth and two in the sixth for the 7-1 lead.

                WNCC managed seven hits in the contest, led by Czerpak and Hilgner with three hits each. The other hit came from Werth.

                WNCC will be back in action this weekend when they have their home openers on Saturday and Sunday when Dawson Community College comes to Volunteer Field.

Game 1
WNCC                 010 603 5 – 15 16 4
Otero                    320 040 1 – 10 11 6
WP – Kayli Cooper.
2B – Mykah Klumpp.
HR – Jenika Fuentes, Madi VanRiper, Randi Mitchell. 

Game 2
WNCC                 100 000 0 – 1 7 3
Otero                    110 302 x – 7 9 1
LP – Kayli Cooper.
2B – Sierra Hilgner.