Cougar notes: WNCC softball splits home opener against Dawson

Photo: Mia Migliaccio delivers a pitch during the second game against Dawson.

                The Western Nebraska Community College and Dawson Community College softball teams combined for 45 runs in two games as each took a game on Saturday at Volunteer Field.

                In the first game, Dawson scored three, seventh-inning runs to claim the 12-10 after the Cougars came back from an 8-0 deficit to lead 10-9 going into the seventh.

                The second game saw WNCC score seven times in the first and then win the game on a walk-off, bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh to claim the 12-11 win.

                The two teams will be back in action Sunday with another doubleheader at Volunteer Field in Scottsbluff beginning at 12 noon.

                Tina Horton, the sophomore shortstop from Australia, who had a 2-run home run in the fifth and then earned the walk to score the winning run said the team played hard on the day.

                “I think definitely the first game there was some problems, but the second game I think we had some ups and downs, but it showed that we wanted it more than they did and we went out and won that game. It was a fun game,” Horton, who had four RBIs in the game two win.

                The big key in game two was how the team used singles and doubles early and then then went to a small-ball approach late to manufacture some runs.

                “I think that after we had one bunt, we just noticed that they weren’t adjusting to it,” Horton said. “So, we made the decision that if they’re not going to adjust to anything that we’re doing, we’re just going to keep doing it until they make an adjustment. I think this team is very versatile. It’s a very fun team to play on.”

                Game two was a wild one to say the least. Dawson scored first with two in the first. WNCC answered with seven runs in the bottom of the first inning. Horton led off the game with a double and scored on a Tori Travers single. WNCC loaded the bases and Jasmine Castro had a 2-run single to put WNCC up 3-2. WNCC loaded the bases and scored another run when Ellie Soper walked to force in another run. Hayley Blumenschein followed with a single to plate two more runs and then Soper scored on a sacrifice fly for the 7-2 lead.

                Dawson followed with three runs in the second and six in the third for an 11-7 lead. WNCC added two in the fifth to make it 11-9. Blumenschein reached base on an error and then Horton ripped a home run that hit the scoreboard for two runs.

                WNCC had a prime opportunity in the sixth to tie or take the lead as they loaded the bases after three small slap singles or bunts that loaded the bases. The Cougars, however, left the bases juiced.

                It came down to the seventh inning for the Cougars. Migliaccio led off by bunting and reaching on an error that resulted her taking third base. Gracie Holm scored Migliaccio with a single to make it 11-10. With two outs, Alyssa Albaugh hits a ground ball and reached on an error followed by Soper hitting a ground ball and reaching on an error that scored Holm with the tying run. Blumenschein then earned a 6-pitch walk to load the bases setting up Horton. Horton drew the walk to score Albaugh with the winning run for the win.

                WNCC pounded out 11 hits in the win. Travers and Holm each had three hits. Travers had a double with two singles, while Holm had three singles and two runs scored. Horton and Castron each had two hits. Horton had a double, home run, four RBIs and two runs scored in the game.

                Mia Migliaccio got the win in relief of Abbey Arntsen. Migliaccio went 4 2/3 innings in scattering three hits and not allowing a run.

                The opening game was just like the second game. Dawson scored early to take an 8-0 lead after scoring four in the first and two each in the second and third. WNCC responded in a big way in the bottom of the third with eight runs.

                It all started when Travers and Adi Duke both reached on errors. Abbey Arntsen scored the first run of the game with a run-scoring single. WNCC loaded the bases after Migliaccio walked. Jasmine Castro then tripled score three runs to make it 8-4.

                Castro came in to score as Albaugh reached on another error. WNCC loaded the bases once again on errors. Horton than singled to score Albaugh and Viktoria Sarkanova to make it a one-run ball game. WNCC tied it after Soper scored after tagging up on a fly ball.

                WNCC took a 9-8 lead with a run in the fifth as Soper scored on a Travers ground ball.

                Dawson tied the game with a run in the sixth only to watch the Cougars score the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth as Sarkanyova doubled in Arntsen to lead 10-9.

                Dawson came back with three runs in the seventh on five hits to go up 12-10. WNCC got one on in the seventh to try to come back as Arntsen had a 2-out double, but that was all they could manage.               

                WNCC had just seven hits in the first game, led by Arntsen with two hits. Castro had three RBIs in the contest.

Game 1
Dawson             422 001 3 – 12 15 4

WNCC                008 011 0 – 10 7 4

LP – Mia Migliaccio.

2B – Abbey Arntsen, Viktoria Sarkanyova.

3B – Jasmine Castro.

Game 2

Dawson             236 000 0 – 11 13 9

WNCC                700 020 3 – 12 11 4

WP – Mia Migliaccio.

2B – Tina Horton, Tori Travers.

HR – Tina Horton.

WNCC baseball takes doubleheader from Dawson

                The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team got some stellar bullpen relief as the Cougars took a doubleheader from Dawson Community College Saturday afternoon at Cleveland Field.

                The Cougars got a seven-strikeout performance from Carter Reisig in capturing the 9-5 first-game win. The second game saw the Cougars score four, sixth-inning runs to capture the 13-8 nine-inning win.

                The two teams will be back in action Sunday at Cleveland Field for another doubleheader beginning at 12 noon.

                WNCC head coach Mike Jones was excited to see how the pitchers’ out of the bullpen came in and performed Saturday afternoon.

                “We had some guys step up that came out of the bullpen,” Jones said. “I thought Carter Reisig did an outstanding job. We had to rush him into the game after Arthur had a shaky start. I though he showed a lot of mental toughness, being able to come into the game and shut their offense down and give our offense an opportunity to score.”
                Collecting the two wins was also huge for the Cougars, especially after dropping the extra-inning come-from-behind loss to Miles Community College on Tuesday at home.

                “Every time we get a win, it’s going to be really, really important for us jst to show the mental toughness to be able to keep it together,” Jones said. “After being behind early, that shows a lot of character for our team.”

                WNCC got behind early in the opening game with Dawson scoring three in the first and one in the third. WNCC finally got on the scoreboard with two in the third on three doubles. Jude Russell led off the inning with a double and scored on a Vaughn Wilson double. Wilson came in to score on a Catcher Gladysh double to trail 4-2.

                The Cougars took the lead with a 6-run fourth inning. It all started with a single by Daniel Chavez and he scored on a Jase Satterfield single. With two outs, Satterfield scored to tie the game and later Russell scored on a wild pitch for the 5-4 lead. With two on, Will Harbison ripped a triple to score two runs and an 8-4 lead.

                Each team scored one run the rest of the game. Dawson scored in the fifth, while WNCC added a run in the sixth inning.

                WNCC only had six hits in the first game, but they made the most of those hits. Six different Cougars had one hit in the game. Harbison had two RBIs with his triple to lead the team, while Russel had three runs scored.

                Reisig got the win in relieve of Arthur Saumande. Reisig went six innings, scattering seven hits and giving up just two runs while striking out seven and walking just one. Nelson Martinez tossed the final inning in allowing just one hit and striking out one.

                WNCC trailed 8-0 after Dawson scored five in the top of the third. WNCC answered with six runs in the bottom of the frame to trail 8-6. Dakota Alber started the inning with a single and scored on a Gladysh triple. Gladysh came in to score on a Cooper Wilson single followed by a run-scoring single by Payton Denny. Ty Beutner then scored two with a triple and Beutner came in to score the sixth run on a ground out.

                WNCC tied the game in the fifth with single runs in the fourth and fifth. The fourth saw Alber lead off with a home run while the fifth saw WNCC load the bases and Payton Denny scored after Alber was hit by a pitch.

                The Cougars took the lead with four in the sixth, scoring all the runs with two outs. All four runs were scored on free passes and scoring on wild pitches for the 12-8 lead. WNCC’s final run came in the eighth when Vaughn Wilson led off with a solo home run.

                WNCC finished with 13 hits in the second game. Alber and Cooper Wilson each had two hits in the contest. Alber had a home run with three RBIs and two runs scored while Wilson had two runs scored on two singles. Beutner scored twice and had two RBIs while Gladysh had two RBIs.

                WNCC utilized four pitchers in the nine-inning game. Javier Pena started and went 2 2/3 innings in allowing eight runs and striking out five. Kaden Ferguson followed and went 1 1/3 in allowing just one hits while striking out two. Peyton Markheim picked up the win as he followed with three innings of work while allowing two hits and four strikeouts. Ian GrafMank tossed the final two innings in not allowing a hit while striking out four.

Game 1
Dawson             301 010 0 – 5 8 3

WNCC                002 601 x – 9 6 0

WP – Carter Reisig.

2B – Catcher Gladysh, Jude Russell, Vaughn Wilson.
3B – Will Harbison.

Game 2
Dawson             035 000 000 – 8 8 2
WNCC                006 114 01x – 13 8 3

WP – Peyton Markheim.

3B – Catcher Gladysh, Ty Beutner.

HR – Dakota Alber, Vaughn Wilson

WNCC captures 20th win by downing NJC

                STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team captured their 20th win of the season, securing the South Sub-region second seed with a 75-57 win over Northeastern Junior College Saturday afternoon in Sterling, Colorado.

                The win moves the Cougars to 20-10 overall and 10-4 in the sub-region. WNCC will now host a first-round Region IX tournament game on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Laramie County Community College.

                The win was also a record setting performance for Zozefine Sipolina, who made three 3-pointers, breaking the career 3-pointers made record set by Merle Wiehl from 2019. Wiehl had 160 made 3-pointers and Sipolina now has 163 made triples.

                Sipolina set the record when she buried a 3-pointer with 4:16 left in the first quarter to give the Cougars a 9-8 lead. NJC came right back hit a bucket, but WNCC went back in front as Ella Chesta-Carty buried a 3-pointer for a 12-10 lead. WNCC went on to lead 20-12 after one period.

                The second half saw the Cougars ignite as they outscored the Plainswomen 20-9 to lead 40-21 at halftime.

                The third quarter saw the Cougars outscore the Plainswomen 17-14 to lead 57-35. NJC outscored the Cougars 22-18 in the fourth period, but WNCC already had a big enough lead for the win.

                WNCC shot well shooting 48 percent from the field and buried nine 3-pointers. The Cougars were also 8-of-10 from the charity strip. WNCC defense was stiff as they held the Plainswomen to 37 percent field goal shooting and holding NJC to just three triples. NJC also made 8-of-10 free throws.

                WNCC controlled the rebounding aspect 39-28. Chesta-Carty had nine boards while Sipolina and Aniaya Burton-Hernandez each with eight rebounds.

                WNCC had four players in double figures. Charisma Johnson led the way with 17 points. Johnson made 8-of-11 from the field and had seven assists.

                Sipolina and Veralyn Aviles each had 15 points with Sipolina getting three triples and Aviles hitting two triples. Chesta-Carty finished with 10 points.

                The full Region IX tournament first-round games will be released Monday or Tuesday. LCCC plays Central Wyoming on Monday.

WNCC (20-10)              20 20 17 18 – 75

NJC (9-21)                        12 9 14 22 – 57

WNCC

Charisma Johnson 17, Veralyn Aviles 15, Zozefine Sipolina 15, Ella Chesta-Carty 10, Aniaya Burton-Hernandez 8, Juseana-Rae Delatori 8, Brynn Sybrant 2.

NJC

Daniela Garcia-Gasco 17, Madison Sepeda 12, Markella Psarra 9, Monique Sena 7, Veronica Baray 5, Riley Phelps 4, Rebekah Seggerman 3.

WNCC men fall to NJC; will travel for first-round playoff game

                STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team started strong and then fell to Northeastern Junior College 72-53 in a South Sub-region contest Saturday in Sterling, Colorado.

                NJC’s win gave the Plainsmen the South Sub-region championship and the right to host the men’s Region IX tournament March 12-14. The Cougars will be on the road next weekend as they will travel probably to North Platte or Lamar for a first-round contest.

                The complete first-round pairings will be released early next week.

                WNCC had an early 3-2 lead after an old-fashioned 3-point play by Toms Linis and pushed it to 5-2 when Linis stole the ball and dunked the ball. WNCC led 18-12 with nine minutes left in the opening half.

                NJC took the lead at 19-18 with 7:24 to play in the opening half on two free throws and pushed the lead to 23-18 with 6:50 to play. Noah Jones stopped the NJC run with a 3-pointer. NJC would go on to lead at halftime 38-27.

                The second half saw the Plainsmen go up by 10, 41-31 with 16:38 to play. WNCC hit a bucket by Viktor Lukic-Gavric with 15 minutes to play. The Cougars then went scoreless for nearly three minutes before a free throw by Isaiah St. Preux and then a 3-pointer by Xavier Kirkpatrick to make it 50-37.

                WNCC made it a 10-point game at 59-48 on a Linis 3-pointer with 7:30 to play. After that, neither team scored for the next two minutes and the Cougars couldn’t get any closer as NJC won 72-53.

                WNCC shot 36 percent from the field and made just 4-of-23 shots from beyond the 3-point arc. NJC shot 56 percent and they only made 2-of-12 from the 3-point line.

                WNCC had just one in double figures as Xavier Kirkpatrick tallied 13 points followed by Viktor Lukic-Gavric with nine.

WNCC                27 26 – 53

NJC                       33 39 – 72

WNCC

Xavier Kirkpatrick 13, Viktor Lukic-Gavric 9, Toms Linis 8, Melchi Egbeyemi 8, Amare Jackson 5, Max Orchard 2, Witold Czerenkiewicz 2, Isaiah St. Preux 1.

NJC

Quis Davis 24, Ethan Carter 18, Dodge Davis 15, Parker Davis 6, Ethan Thyne 3, Trevor Thomas 2, Alan Acevedo Dagda 2.