WNCC drops pair of games to NJC

                STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team hadn’t played a game in over a week and Tuesday it showed as the Cougars dropped a conference doubleheader to Northeastern 15-0 and 16-5 in Sterling, Colorado.

                The Cougars will look to get back on the right track when they host Northeastern Junior College Wednesday at Volunteer Field in Scottsbluff. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

                Tuesday’s second game was the better game as the Cougars outhit the Plainswomen 10-9. The difference in the game was the Cougar defense committed eight errors.

                WNCC started the game well with a run in the first when Tori Travers singled and scored on a Gracie Holm single for the 1-0 lead. NJC answered in the bottom of the frame with five runs for the 5-1 lead. NJC added three more runs in the second for an 8-1 lead.

                WNCC made a rally, cutting the deficit in half with three runs in the fourth. Mia Migliaccio led off with single and scored on a Tina Horton single. Ellie Soper  reached on an error. Horton then scored on a Abbey Arntsen double and Soper scored on a Gracie Holm ground out to trail 8-4.

                Things went the other way as NJC responded with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 16-4 lead. WNCC tried making a comeback in the fifth as Emma Murdoch singled and scored on a Hayley Blumenschein pop fly, which she reached on the error. That was all the scoring they could get.

                WNCC had 10 hits, led by Artnsen and Migliaccio each with two hits. Holm had two RBIs in the came.

                The first game saw the Cougars only manage two hits and got behind early. NJC plated eight runs in the first inning for an 8-0 lead and added two runs in the second and third innings for a 12-0 lead.

                WNCC had chances to score, too. In the first inning, the Cougars left two runners on base when the third out was made. The second inning saw a lead-off walk, but that was all.

                The fourth inning saw a lead-off walk once again, but couldn’t get the run home. The fifth inning was the Cougars’ best chance to score a run as they loaded the bases with just one out. But, two ground balls for outs didn’t get a run home.

                WNCC was outhit in the first game 9-2. The only hits came from Tina Horton and Tori Travers.

Game 1
WNCC                000 00 – 0 2 4

NJC                       822 3x – 15 9 1

LP – Abbey Arntsen.

Game 2

WNCC                100 31 – 5 10 8

NJC                       530 8x – 16 9 3

LP – Gracie Holm.

2B – Abbey Arntsen.