LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team put together another solid performance on the diamond registering a doubleheader conference sweep over Luna Community College on Friday in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
                Kayli Cooper had another strong performance in game one as the righthanded pitcher who was named Region IX Player of the Week earlier, tossed a one-hitter and was one batter away from a no-hitter as the Cougars won 9-0 in seven innings.
                The second game saw WNCC pound out 14 hits as Kallie Stocking went five innings with six strikeouts as the Cougars registered the 14-3 win in five innings.
                WNCC moves to 21-21 overall and are solidly in third place in the conference standings at 12-6. It was also the team’s 11th straight win. The two team will be at it Saturday for another doubleheader in Las Vegas, New Mexico. The Cougars will then have the last games of the season next weekend April 25 and 27 when they face conference-leading McCook Community College on Friday in McCook and then host McCook Sunday at Volunteer Field in sophomore recognition day.
                The first game was a solid performance all the way around. Cooper had a near one-hitter as the sophomore right-handed thrower allowed just one hit, walked two, and struck out seven.
                Offensively, WNCC pounded out 12 hits with Tina Horton, Randi Mitchell, and Sierra Hilgner all getting two hits. Mitchell had a home run with two RBIs and two runs scored. Mykah Klumpp had three RBIs in the game while Alyssa Albaugh had two runs scored.
                WNCC wasted little time in getting on the board as Mitchell made it 1-0 with a solo home run in the first inning. The Cougars then added five runs in the second inning  Albaugh led off by reaching on an error and scored on a 2-out single by Mitchell. Hilgner also had a run-scoring single while Klumpp had a 3-run double in the frame.
                WNCC made it 7-0 after three when Albaugh led off with a walk and scored on a 2-out single by Horton.
                WNCC scored their final two runs in the seventh. Kallie Stocking singled and scored on a Tori Travers double. Travers came in to score on a Horton single.
                Cooper then had a no-hitter going into the seventh. She got the first two batters out on a ground out and a strike out. The third batter managed a single for Luna’s first hit of the game. Cooper came back and got the final out on a strikeout.
                The second game saw the WNCC take control in the first inning as they scored eight times on six hits. WNCC loaded the bases to start the game and then Kallie Stocking had a fielder’s choice hit to score the first run. Klumpp then laid down a bunt and reached on an error that plated two runs. Klumpp came in to score on a Lydia Tibbals single for a 4-0 lead.
                WNCC loaded the bases once again and Reagan Werth scored a run with a fielder’s choice hit. Two more came in to score on two errors followed by Mitchell scoring the final run with a double and the 8-0 lead.
                Luna scored in the bottom of the first to make it 8-1, but WNCC added two runs each in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. The third saw Mitchell and Horton each score on a Hilgner single. The fourth inning saw Tibbals score on a Travers single followed by Travers scoring on a fielding error after stealing third for the 12-1 lead.
                The final inning saw Faythe Lafirenza get a double and then score on a Klump 2-out single. Klumpp scored the final run on a JoLee Huffaker 2-out single.
                WNCC had 14 hits in the contest. Travers led the way with three hits, all singles as she had two runs scored and an RBI. Horton, Mitchell, and Tibbals all had two hits each.
                Stocking picked up the win in the circle, going five innings in scattering five hits with three runs, three walks, and five strikeouts.
 
Game 1
WNCC                151 000 2 – 9 12 0
Luna                    000 000 0 – 0 1 3
WP – Kayli Cooper.
2B – JoLee Huffaker, Mykah Klumpp, Tori Travers.
HR – Randi Mitchell.
 
Game 2
WNCC                802 22 – 14 14 0
Luna                    100 11 – 3 5 4
WP – Kallie Stocking.
2B – Faythe Lafirenza, Randi Mitchell.