COLBY, Kan. – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team earned a split with Colby Community College on Sunday to finish the weekend series in Colby, Kansas.

                WNCC won the first game on Sunday 4-3 with a team-like win. The second game saw the Trojans register a 14-1 win.

                The Cougars fell to Colby on Saturday 10-2 and 11-0. WNCC, 7-19, will be back in action April 5 when they travel to face Northeastern Junior College before hosting the Plainsmen on April 7.

                Sunday's win was one where the Cougars played well on defense, pitching, and got clutch hits to score when they needed to.

                The first three innings were a pitcher's duel as neither team scored. WNCC got on the scoreboard first with two in the fourth. Madi VanRiper started the inning with a single followed by Randi Mitchell and Jenika Fuentes reaching on errors to load the bases. VanRiper scored the first run on a groundout. Mitchell made it 2-0 on a bunt single by Baylie Krueger.

                WNCC made it 3-0 with another run in the fifth. Katelyn Czerpak reached base on a walk and takes second on a passed ball and steals third. Mykah Klumpp then lays down a bunt to score Czerpak to make it 3-0.

                WNCC added an insurance run in the sixth. Fuentes reached on an error and the Sierra Hilgner and Krueger were each hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bailey Legere then earned a walk to score the first run, but that was all the Cougars could manage.

                Colby tried to come back in the sixth with three runs on two home runs to make it 4-3, but the WNCC defense stepped up to seal the win.

                Fuentes picked up the win in the circle, going all seven innings, scattering seven hits and striking out two.

                WNCC managed six hits in the contest. VanRiper led the way with two singles.

                The second game saw the Cougars fall behind 3-0 after two innings. The Cougars came back with a run in the third to make it 3-1. Czerpak started the rally with a 2-out single and came in to score on a Klumpp triple.

                Colby responded with six in the third and five in the fourth for the 14-1 win.

                WNCC was led by Klumpp with two hits including a triple.

Sunday
Game 1
WNCC                 000 211 0 – 4 6 2
Colby                    000 003 0 – 3 7 5
WP – Jenika Fuentes.

Game 2
WNCC                 001 00 – 1 4 0
Colby                    036 5x – 14 11 1
LP – Bella Pacheco.
3B – Mykah Klumpp.

Saturday
Game 1
WNCC                 000 02 – 2 2 2
Colby                    10 6 2
LP – Bella Pacheco.

Game 2
WNCC                 000 00 – 0 7 1
Colby                    038 0x – 11 11 0
LP – Jenika Fuentes.
2B – Randi Mitchell.