Home Opener Domination

In the home opener for the Plainswomen softball team, they would host the Mavericks from Northwest Kansas Tech.  The women were excited to play in front of the home crowd, and for the fields to be in the shape they were in February, everything was shaping up to be a good day.  The Plainswomen had recently come off a tough road trip from Texas, and were looking to get things rolling in the win column.

The first game against the Mavericks was one that the Plainswomen would soon want to forget.  The first inning would start falling behind as they would give up three runs.  The ladies would not have an answer for those points for the next few innings, and trail 3-0.  In the top of four, Northeastern would allow the Mavericks to add two more, now falling behind 5-0.  In the bottom of five, NJC would finally get on the board with one run to make the score 5-1.  In the top of six, NWKTC would get two more runs to extend their lead 7-1, which would give the Plainswomen some work to do.  In the bottom of six, the they would be able to get one more run, which would eventually be the final score of 7-2.  Although it was their first game of the series, it would not be their last, and the Plainswomen knew they could play better. 

In game two of the first day, the ladies turned a complete 180 and played the way they're capable of.  Although the Mavericks would begin the game taking a 3-0 lead in the top of one, the Plainswomen would do one better by putting up four runs.  Northwest would then counter NJC's hitting by adding themselves two runs and taking the 5-4 lead.  Their lead would be short lived as the Northeastern would put up another four funs taking back the lead 8-5.  The score would remain that until the bottom of four when the Plainswomen would put on a huge number with eight runs.  The Mavericks would only add one more and would eventually fall 16-6.  Top performers for that game was Annaliese Cordova and Riley Johnson both having four RBI's.  Additionally, Johnson would have two homeruns.

The next day would bring sunshine and great softball.  The Plainswomen were enjoying the 70-degree weather with little to no wind.  The great weather could only be complimented with a win or two, which time would only tell.  The game would start in the first inning with both teams scoring a run, which would be the last one for the Mavericks that game.  The Plainswomen would get hot and would add two in the second and third, then put up a crooked number on with a five spot in the fourth.  That would be the dagger, as NJC would defeat the Mavs 10-1.  Riley Johnson would again have two homeruns and have four RBI's.

Their final game of the day and of the series, the sun would be at the highest point and the fans were enjoying the games.  For the first time in the series, the Plainswomen would do a great job of not allowing the Mavs to score in the lead off inning, then following it with a four-run inning.  The ladies would lead the Mavericks 4-0, but in the top of two, the Mavs would cut their deficit in half with two runs.  Northeastern would not have an answer for those runs until the bottom of three when they would double their score and now lead 8-2.  In the fourth, both teams would get one run, and then in the bottom of five, NJC would add their final two points, which would be the final score of 11-3.  Brooke King would lead in RBI's with four with a home run in the mix.

The Plainswomen will play Colby CC on the road on Thursday the February 22.