MCCOOK – The Western Nebraska Community College softball stayed alive at the Region IX Tournament after splitting a pair of games on Friday in McCook in thrilling fashion.

                WNCC opened the tournament spotting Northeastern Junior College six early runs and then made a comeback in the later innings before falling just short 9-7.

                The loss moved the Cougars into an elimination game of the double-elimination tournament where they scored three seventh inning runs and held Otero in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 6-5 win.

                WNCC will continue in the tournament on Saturday when they face Northeastern Junior College in an elimination game at 1:30 p.m. MST. The first game of the day on Saturday pits McCook Community College against Trinidad State College in the winner's bracket at 11 a.m. The winner between NJC and WNCC will face the loser of McCook and Trinidad in an elimination game. The championship is slated for Sunday.

                Trinidad State defeated Otero College in the first-round 5-1 while McCook handed NJC a 5-1 loss.

                The first game saw WNCC fall behind 6-0 after an inning and a half. WNCC came back to score runs in the five of the seven innings as they made a comeback. WNCC plated one in the second to cut the lead to 6-1. Mackenzie Bakel singled and then stole second and scored on a wild pitch.

                NJC added a single run in the third only to watch WNCC add two in the bottom of the third.  Victoria Wharton led off with a single followed by Macyn Hartman earning a walk and Taylor Klein getting hit by a pitch. Erin Hanafin brought in the first run as she earned a 5-pitch walk and then Bakel scored another to trail 7-3.

                Both teams added a run in the fourth. WNCC's run came with two outs. Wharton singled and scored on a Hartman single as the Cougars trailed 8-4. WNCC added another run in the fifth to trail 8-5. Hanafin led off with a double and scored on a Bakel double.

                NJC added an insurance run in the seventh setting up WNCC's final at bat in the bottom of the seventh. Bakel and Butterfield earned free passes and Bakel scored on an Emma Schweitzer single. WNCC loaded the bases with two outs and Hartman singles to score Lexi Butterfield, but that was all they could manage.

                NJC outhit WNCC 13-10. Wharton and Bakel each had three hits. Wharton, who was named the Region IX Freshman of the Year earlier on Friday, had two runs scored and two stolen bases. Bakel also had three hits with a double with two runs scored and two RBIs. Bakel also had a stolen base.

                Hartman, who was named an all-region infielder earlier on the day, had two hits with two RBIs and a run scored. Wharton was also an all-region outfielder when the all-region teams were announced to the fans.

                That loss sent the Cougars into an elimination game and it was an exciting and intense game.

                WNCC managed just six hits but what they did with the six hits was the big reason why they won. WNCC was led by Wharton with two hits including a double and two runs scored. Coffman had two RBIs in the game.

                WNCC scored first in the game as Wharton and Hartman earned free passes. Wharton scored the run on an error for the 1-0 lead.

                Otero came back with three in the second for a 3-1 lead.

                WNCC managed to tie the game with single runs in the fourth and fifth. The fourth saw Hanafin and Bakel each had a single. WNCC's speed saw Hanafin score on an error by the second baseman as Bakel stole second to make it 3-2.

                The fifth saw Bailey Blanchard earn a walk followed by Wharton getting a single. Blanchard scored on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Klein to tie the game.

                With the game tied entering the seventh, WNCC plated three runs on three hits. Wharton started the comeback with a 2-out double and came in to score on a Hartman single. Klein followed by earning a walk. Coffman came through with a double to score two runs and a 6-3 lead.

                Otero scored two in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying run at first with just one out. Katie McMillan got two ground balls to get the final two outs and the win.

                WNCC got a complete game pitching performance from McMillan, who went all seven innings in scattering eight hits and allowing five runs. McMillan struck out one and walked just one batter while facing 33 batters.

Game 1
NJC                        421 100 1 – 9 13 0
WNCC                   012 110 2 – 7 10 3

LP – Lexi Butterfield.
2B – Mackenzie Bakel, Erin Hanafin.

Game 2

WNCC                   100 110 3 – 6 6 2

Otero                    030 000 2 – 5 8 2
WP – Katie McMillan.
2B – Victoria Wharton, Bella Coffman.