LAJUNTA, Colo. — The Western Nebraska Community College softball team split a conference doubleheader for the third straight day on Sunday. After going 2-2 against Trinidad State in Scottsbluff on Friday and Saturday, the Cougars played Otero Junior College Sunday afternoon in LaJunta, Colo. and won the first game 7-2 before losing the second 3-1.

WNCC took control of the opening contest early and never looked back, scoring twice in the 1st as Kelsey Bernhardt and Jessica Ball scored on a Alysa Linford single, then adding single runs in the 3rd, 5th and 6th innings before plating two runs in the 7th.

The Cougars pounded out 12 hits, led by Ball. The slugging shortstop went 3-3 with 2 doubles and a triple while scoring 3 times. Kelsey Bernhardt and Linford picked up 2 hits each. One of Bernhardt’s was a double and she both scored a run and drove in one while Linford had a three RBIs. Courtney Cloud tallied 2 stolen bases.

Andy Hancock picked up the win, tossing a complete game in scattering 10 hits and allowing 2 runs while striking out 6.

The second game saw the Cougars pound out 8 hits to Otero’s 6, but score just one run. Otero struck first in the 3rd on a two-out single for a 1-0 lead, but WNCC tied the game in the top of the 6th on a triple by Ball that scored Christian Bobian, who had walked.

Otero went right back on top with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning for 3-1 lead and the Cougars couldn’t answer in the 7th despite a lead-off double by Lindsay Guymon.

Bobian paced WNCC with a 2-of-2 performance that included a double and a run scored. Jordan Smith picked up the loss after giving up all 3 runs and 5 hits and leaving with no outs in the 6th. Whitney Fields got all 3 outs in the inning, one on a strikeout.

WNCC was to be on a Texas trip through Wednesday, but those plans were changed by the weather. The Cougars are now playing today the Adams State JVs in a doubleheader in Alamosa, Colo., then face the York College Junior Varsity in York on Wednesday before taking on Iowa Western Community College on Thursday in Council Bluffs.

First Game

WNCC 201 011 2 — 7 12 1

Otero 000 000 2 — 2 10 0

WP — Andy Hancock; 2B — Jessica Ball 2, Kelsey Bernhardt; 3B — Ball.

Second Game

WNCC 000 001 0 — 1 8 1

Otero 001 002 x — 3 5 0

LP — Jordan Smith; 2B — Christian Bobian, Lindsay Guymon; 3B — Ball.