SNYDER, Texas – Erin Hanafin had two home runs, including a second-game grand slam to help the Western Nebraska Community College softball team record two wins over West Texas College Friday in Snyder, Texas.
In the first game, Hanafin and DemiRae Woolsey each homered as the Cougars captured their first win of the season with a 11-9 win over West Texas College.
Game two saw Katie McMillan toss a complete game as Hanafin had a grand slam and four RBIs in helping the Cougars to the 8-6 win.
WNCC head coach Katelyn Groves was pleased with how the team played.
"In both games our hitters did a much better job as a whole getting on base and putting the ball in play hard," Groves said. "We had 20 hits on the day and 12 walks that gave us a lot of runners and opportunities to score. Erin Hanafin had a great day at the plate going 4-for-7 with a grand slam, home run, and a double. Demi Woolsey got her first collegiate home runs (2) today. Taylor Klein went 3-for-5 with four walks and a double, and Ari Plorin had a clutch 2 RBI pinch hit single in game one. Our dugout was great all day and both wins were definitely team wins all around. I am proud of the fight and our ability to find a way to pull out two wins."
Groves was also pleased with the fight of the pitching staff in getting the two wins on the day.
"Lexi Butterfield threw well in the circle keeping hitters off balance for most of the game," she said. "Des came in and closed for us and managed to get us the last two outs. We struggled to close a little bit but we got it done and grew a lot from that final inning."
The second game, Groves said Katie McMillan did a great job.
"In game two, Katie McMillan threw a complete game and did a great job," she said. "She gave up four earned runs and nine hits. She competed extremely well today."
Game one was an offensive show as the two teams combined for 25 hits and 20 runs. The Cougars scored in five of the seven innings to get their first win of the year.
Western Texas scored first with two runs in the first. WNCC answered in the second and got one run back with a solo home run by DemiRae Woolsey.
Western Texas went up 3-1 with a single run in the third. The Cougars came back and took a 4-3 lead in the fourth when they plated three runs on just two hits. Taylor Klein and Lexi Butterfield led off the frame with walks. With one swing of the bat, Erin Hanafin sailed a pitch over the leftfield fence to score three and make the score 4-3.
The Cougars added two more in the fifth to make it 6-3. Butterfield singled to score Mackenzie Bakel. Klein came in to score the second run a steal.
Western Texas score one in the fifth to make it 6-4. The Cougars offense wasn't finished as they scored a single run in the sixth as Bakel singled to score Bailey Blanchard.
WNCC added four runs in the seventh to go up 11-4 on six hits. Hanafin led off with a double followed by Woolsey with a single. Arianah Plorin scored two with a one-out single. After Blanchard singled, Bakel scored another run with a single and then Klein scored the final run with a single for the 11-4 lead.
The bottom of the seventh became interesting at the Westerners scored five runs and had the tying run at the plate when DesaRae Woolsey got the final out on a groundball to first base to preserve the win for Lexi Butterfield and pick up the save herself.
WNCC had 12 hits in the contest with three getting two hits each. Hanafin led the way with a double and home run with two runs scored and three RBIs. Bakel had two singles with two RBIs and a run scored, while DemiRae Woolsey had two hits with a home run and two runs scored and RBI. Plorin had two RBIs, while Klein and Blanchard each scored two runs.
Butterfield got the with 6 1/3 innings pitched in scattering 12 hits in walking just one and striking out two. DesaRae Woolsey got the win, tossing the final two-thirds of an inning in allowing one hit and walking one.
Game two saw the Cougars score five times in the third inning to grab a 5-2 lead. The third saw WNCC get just three hits. Victoria Wharton led off with a one-out single followed by a run-scoring single by Macyn Hartman. Klein and Butterfield followed with walks to load the bases for Hanafin, who took the second pitch and sailed it over the rightfield fence for a grand slam.
West Texas came back with two in the bottom of the third and a single run in the fourth to tie the game at 5-5.
WNCC responded with three runs in the fifth, all with two outs. Butterfield and Hanafin earned 2-out walks. DemiRae Woolsey followed with a 2-run double and then Woolsey scored on a Blanchard fly ball that was misplayed for the 8-5 lead.
West Texas scored one in the sixth and had runners on in the seventh, but Katie McMillan got the final out for the win.
McMillan tossed all seven innings for the win. The freshman from Canada scattered nine hits and allowed six hits while striking out three.
Offensively, WNCC had eight hits. Wharton, Hanafin, and Klein each had two hits. Hanafin finished with a home run, two runs scored, and four RBIs. Klein had a double with a run scored while Wharton had two singles and a run scored. Butterfield scored twice.
WNCC and West Texas will wrap up the four-game series with another doubleheader on Saturday.
Game 1
WNCC 010 321 4 – 11 12 3
W. Texas 201 010 5 – 9 13 1
WP – Lexi Butterfield; S – DesaRae Woolsey.
2B – Chloe Cronquist, Erin Hanafin.
HR – DemiRae Woolsey, Erin Hanafin.
Game 2
WNCC 005 030 0 – 8 8 2
W. Texas 202 101 0 – 6 9 1
WP – Katie McMillan.
2B – Taylor Klein, DemiRae Woolsey.
HR – Erin Hanafin (grand slam).