Plainswomen Start Conference With Pair Of Wins
After a flip-flop of scheduling between Western Nebraska and Northeastern, the Plainswomen would host the Cougars for their first Region IX Conference game. The Plainswomen had just come off a rough, but well played series against the Garden City Broncbusters, and were looking to start conference on the right foot. The sun was out with a slight breeze cutting across the field from right field, and the stage was set to play ball.
The first game was a doozy that would come down to the Plaisnwomen having big sticks. The first two innings would go scoreless in the first two innings, but then the Cougars would break the ice in the top of three to gain the lead 1-0. The Plainswomen could not answer the call in the bottom half of the inning, and then in the top of four, the Cougars would add two more to now lead 3-0. Once again, the Plainswomen could not get their bats rolling and would stay trailing by three. In the next inning, NJC would hold the Cougars and would cut into their lead by batting in two runs. With the ladies only down by one, they were right where they needed to make a late game comeback. In the top of six however, WNCC would get one more on the Plainswomen to now lead 4-2. Not being the type to lay down and quit, Northeastern would get hot and drive in three runs to take the lead, which would eventually be the game winner 5-4.
The Swat Sisters (Annaliese Cordova and Gracie Cordova) would have a game as both would have two RBI's each and Riley Johnson having one.
The second game of the series would be a much different game than the first. Both teams would be able to time their opponent's pitcher up, and as a result would be a high scoring game. The first inning would be easy work for the Plainswomen, as they would keep the Cougars scoreless. In the bottom half of one, NJC would get four runs as Riley Johnson would hit a grand slam and clear the bases. The second inning would be a mirror image to the first as Northeastern would hold the Cougars scoreless, and would get four runs with the help of a home run by Annaliese Cordova. The Plainswomen would have a sizable 8-0 lead going into the third, but WNCC would soon cut it in half with a four spot of their own. The Plainswomen would be held to a scoreless inning, but then turn around and play solid defense and keep Western Nebraska from scoring as well. In the Bottom of the fourth, NJC would be able to tack on one more run ro get their lead back up to five runs. The fifth inning is where the game became really interesting, because points really started to accumulate. The Plainswomen would find themselves on the receiving end of the Cougars hot streak, as WNCC would put up seven runs. With the game now being flipped around with the Cougars having the 11-9 lead, the Plainswomen needed to do something soon to get the momentum back on their side. The call came with the ladies putting up five runs to give themselves the 14-11 lead. That offensive showing was a definite momentum crusher for the Cougars, which would then allow NJC to keep WNCC coreless, then put up another five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. That 10-point swing in two innings would help give the Plainswomen the two game sweep over the Cougars in the Region IX Conference opener.
Top performers in the second game was Riley Johnson with seven RBI's, and Erin Hersey pitching with only three earned runs with four strike outs.
The Plainswomen will have a jam packed weekend staring on Friday as they host the North Platte Knights, then on Saturday and Sunday as they the host the Lamar Lopers.