WNC Softball: Wildcats Power Way Past Golden West College
A day after sweeping three games at the Great Western Shootout, Western Nevada College concluded its best performance at the Yuma, Ariz., softball tournament with another victory on Saturday.
Kelsie Callahan smashed a two-run homer and Makaylee Jaussi hit a solo homer as the Wildcats defeated Golden West College of Huntington Beach, Calif., 7-4. It was a program-best fourth victory of the tournament for WNC.
Earlier on Saturday, Yavapai College of Prescott, Ariz., avoided losing to the Wildcats for a third straight time, extinguishing a final-inning rally for a 6-4 victory.
The Wildcats concluded the tournament with a 1-0 loss to third-ranked Arizona Western College, a team that WNC upset on Friday.
"These girls have so much fight, so much heart," WNC coach Leah Wentworth said. "They are making a lot of great plays, and I'm really impressed with their play all the way around.
"They are giving me confidence that we're on track to a have a really good season."
Only Salt Lake Community College (6-1) and College of Southern Idaho (5-1) had more wins than WNC in the seven-team tournament.
Freshman Kaitlyn Jimmy of Carson City pitched the distance to earn her first college win. She gave up seven hits and struck out four.
"Kaitlyn threw well and we made some great plays behind her," Wentworth said.
One of those defensive gems was turned in by Callahan to end the game. She stretched to snag a liner over her head and then finished off the unassisted double play by stepping on first base. It was the Wildcats' second double play of the game.
In addition to WNC's two long balls, Melanie Mecham topped the offense by going 3 for 4. Briauna Carter was 2 for 4 and Hannah Russo went 2 for 3 in her first game for the Wildcats.
WNC (5-5) struggled offensively until the seventh inning against Yavapai. Scoreless through six innings, the Wildcats used a pair of walks, a RBI single by Jaussi and a sacrifice fly by Katilyn Covone to creep within 6-2. Then, two-out base hits by Carter, Lauren Lesniak and Nicole Lesniak cut Yavapai's lead to 6-4. However, a baserunning mistake by the Wildcats ended the comeback bid.
Sadee Sorensen pitched the first five innings for the Wildcats and took the loss. The Lesniak twins combined for half of WNC's 10 hits.
A day after jamming two fingers while hitting, Nicole Lesniak was up to the task in the circle against Arizona Western. She pitched a complete-game six-hitter in the one-run defeat.
The Wildcats rattled Arizona Western for six hits but left the bases loaded in the second and sixth innings. Mecham and Kacie Freudenberger supplied three and two hits, respectively.
WNC will now prepare for the opening of the Scenic West Athletic Conference season, which starts when the Wildcats play host to College of Southern Idaho on Feb. 27 and 28.