Bella Mumford hit two home runs in the second-game of a conference doubleheader, including a walk-off 2-run shot that gave the Cougars the 7-5 win in game two over Northeastern Junior College Friday afternoon at Volunteer Field.

                The first game saw NJC plate nine, fifth-inning runs and then hang on to get the 10-6 win as the two teams split the doubleheader.

                Victoria Wharton, who scored three runs in the second-game win, said that win was huge for the team.

                "We just game out and really took what was ours and we stepped up when we needed to," Wharton, a freshman from Parker, Colorado, said. "We just kept fighting and we just took the win. This win was huge. More than anything, it just showed what we can do as a team and what we can do when we show up."

                Wharton added that in the first game they also played well except for that one inning where they allowed nine Plainswomen runs.

                "The first game was that one inning and this game we came out to make sure that didn't happen," she said. "We really just played our game and just kept fighting."

                The second game win was definitely a team win and Mackenzie Bakel, who had two amazing diving catches in centerfield, led off the seventh with a single and was on third base when Mumford launched the one-out home run over the fence for the walk-off win.

                 Bakel said they learned from that first game loss and they scored runs when they needed to.

                "We learned from game one and we played more team ball and made the adjustments and came through when it counted," the sophomore centerfielder said. "A lot of people stepped up when it mattered and it's always important to play every game like it's your last. Avoiding big innings is the difference between winning and losing so to limit those is very important."

                The thing with the second game is WNCC scored in six of the seven innings, and even the fifth inning where they failed to score, they had an opportunity to score.

                The game was tied 4-4 entering the sixth inning when WNCC took a 5-4 lead when Wharton had a 2-out single and then scored on a Macyn Hartman double for the lead.

                NJC came back to tie the game in the seventh as Kaley Kelly double followed by Addy Deal getting a single. Pinch-runner Brooke Rule came in to score on a Mia Glover one-out double. Starting pitcher Lexi Butterfield didn't allow another run to come as she got the next batter to line out to second baseman Bailey Blanchard and the third out on a grounder that third baseman Hartman fielded and threw across the diamond to first base to end the inning.

                It didn't take long for WNCC to get something going in the bottom of the seventh. Bakel led off as she drove the first pitch solidly to leftfield. Chloe Cronquist then laid down a perfect sacrifice to move Bakel to second. Bakel then stole third. Mumford then took a full-count pitch and sky-rocketed over the centerfield fence for the walk-off win.

                That was Mumford's second home run of the game as she also had a solo shot in the second inning to tie the game at 2-2.

                After Mumford tied the game in the second, NJC came back with two more in third for a 4-2 lead. WNCC added one run in the third as Wharton led off by reaching on an error and on the overthrow, went clear to third base. Wharton then scored on a Hartman double to make it 4-3 NJC.

                WNCC tied the game in the fourth when Bakel walked and Cronquist doubled. Bakel came in to score on a Mumford sacrifice fly to tie the game up.

                NJC outhit WNCC 10-9. Three Cougars had multiple hits in the win. Bakel went 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Mumford went 2-for-3 with two home runs, two runs scored, and four RBIs. Hartman also had two hits with two doubles and an RBI.

                Butterfield went the distance in scattering 10 hits and allowing just five runs while striking out two.

                The first game was one where WNCC was playing well for the first four innings and they held a 2-0 lead. WNCC scored one in the first as Hartman reached on an error followed by Taylor Klein singling. Hartman scored on an Erin Hanafin single.

                WNCC made it 2-0 in the third as Klein led off with a home run to centerfield.

                It stayed that way until the fifth when the Plainswomen scored nine times on six hits and two errors.

                WNCC, trailing 10-2, started a rally scoring three times in the sixth to cut the lead to 10-5.

                WNCC was outhit 10-7 in the contest. Klein and Cronquist each had two hits. Klein had a home runs with two RBIs while Bakel had just one hit and scored twice.

                WNCC and NJC have another doubleheader on Saturday with first-pitch slated for 11 a.m. at Volunteer Field before playing each other again on Tuesday in Sterling, Colorado, in a make-up game. WNCC will also play McCook on Tuesday. Bakel said they need to play like they did in the second game to win.

                "Keep hitting the ball and playing as a team," Bakel said. "We need to continue to take advantages of situations and limit those big innings."

Game 1

NJC                        000 091 0 – 10 10 2

WNCC                   101 003 1 – 6 7 3

LP – Katie McMillan.

HR – Taylor Klein.

Game 2

NJC                        202 000 1 – 5 10 3

WNCC                   111 101 2 – 7 9 2

WP – Lexi Butterfield.

2B – Macyn Hartman 2, Chloe Cronquist.

HR – Bella Mumford 2