WNC Softball: disciplined Wildcats climb up SWAC standings

Western Nevada College's hitters showed why discipline at the plate eventually pays off on Saturday at Pete Livermore Sports Complex in Carson City.

With hard-throwing Colorado Northwestern freshman Taylor Reidhead controlling the Wildcats offense for the second straight day, WNC made sure to work the count deep. The tactic only produced a run early, but the dividends rolled in during a four-run fourth inning that triggered a 5-3 and 10-2 Scenic West Athletic Conference softball doubleheader sweep.

"We ended up catching up to her," said Triniece Lesky, who supplied two of the six hits of Reidhead in the opener. "We figured out that she was throwing a low, outside pitch and we just stayed with it. Our energy kept being up and our patience was there, so we knew we could do it."

The Wildcats made a substantial move up the SWAC standings over the weekend, improving to 4-8 with the four-game sweep of the Spartans.

"I definitely think things are going in the right direction," Lesky said of the fourth-place Wildcats. "We were even close in those first two series, so getting these wins gives us more confidence where we will be able to beat anybody."

Kelsie Callahan started the pivotal fourth with a base hit to center and Briauna Carter drew a walk after fouling off several full-count pitches. That set the stage for the clutch hitting of Lesky and Makaylee Jaussi. Lesky's bad-hop double scored Callahan with the tying run, then Jaussi's liner into left field snuck under the glove of Kayla Chase for a two-run single. Jaussi sped around to third base on the two-base error and scored the fourth run of the inning when Bailey Henderson poked a single into center field.

"We would just kind of go with it and get our pitch in those types of situations," Callahan said. "She has a really good outside curve, so she was trying to get us to swing at the outside pitches, so we just crowded the plate more and took it to the opposite field."

Callahan was also instrumental in WNC beating Reidhead in Game 2, socking a two-run double in her first at-bat and blasting a RBI double in her ensuing plate appearance.

"She swings a really strong bat and has a ton of power," said WNC coach Leah Wentworth. "I think some of what was going on earlier in the season was not being aggressive early in the count. She was a lot more aggressive today, particularly with two strikes, expanding the zone and protecting the zone.

"We're excited to see her break out that because she is somebody who could really help us down the stretch."

Staked with a 5-3 lead in the opener, sophomore pitcher Kristina George and a very supportive defense took it from there. With a runner on first base in the sixth, George attempted to make a diving catch of a blooper by Natasha Barker, but first baseman Callahan showed off her range by getting to the ball and forcing out the runner with a quick throw to second base.

"I don't usually come out that far, but I'm always going to have my pitcher's back on those types of plays," Callahan said.

In the same inning, right fielder Kacie Freudenberger robbed Brittney McCormack of an extra-base hit by ranging to her right to make a catch in the right-center field gap.

After being blanked by George on the first game of a doubleheader on Friday, the Spartans scored once in the first inning.

However, the Wildcats retrieved the run in their half of the first and threatened to open a big lead. Jaussi legged out a double just inside the right-field line. Reidhead, who checked the Wildcat offense on four hits on Friday, struggled finding the strike zone. She issued a one-out walk to Melanie Mecham and a two-out free pass Britni Greninger. In between, a passed ball and a wild pitch sent Jaussi across the plate with a hook slide to tie the score. Reidhead also walked Callahan to fill the bases, but she escaped the jam by inducing Gabrielle Canibeyaz to pop up in the infield.

Reidhead helped herself in the top of the third, crushing a George pitch well over the left-field fence for a 2-1 Spartans lead. But it didn't last.

Reidhead also drew the starting pitching assignment in Game 2, and the Wildcats were ready.

The Wildcats scored three times with two outs in the first inning to wipe out a 1-0 Spartan lead supplied by Reidhead's second homer of the day. Callahan drove a full-count pitch for a double to the base of the fence in right-center field to score Mecham and Freudenberger. Canibeyaz kept the rally going with a RBI single to center.

Two walks didn't hurt McKell Marble in the second inning. Her defense threw out two bunters, then Marble stranded runners on second and third bases by striking out Makenna Fox to stem the threat.

WNC's lead ballooned to six runs in the second on the strength of extra-base hits by Mecham and Callahan. Mecham's two-run triple along the left-field line made the score 5-1, then a RBI base hit by Freudenberger and a RBI double by Callahan increased WNC's edge to 7-1.

A base hit, followed by three straight one-out walks ended Marble's outing in the third inning. Sophomore Kaitlyn Jimmy took over and shut down the rally. After falling behind Sarah Hickens 3-1, she rallied to fan her on a riseball, then Jimmy used a fly out off the bat of Karsten Williams to leave the bases loaded.

"We talked to the pitching staff last week that if we have to pitch by committee, we will," Wentworth said. "We are going to do whatever we have to do to try to secure these games and not let the other team gain too much momentum. Kaitlyn definitely stepped up and did that for us."

Jimmy retired eight of the 10 Spartans she faced to earn her second win of the series. She allowed one hit and struck out two.

WNC brought the mercy rule into play in the fifth inning for the second time in the series. A run-scoring groundout by Jaussi and RBI base hits by Henderson and Freudenberger completed the four-game sweep. Carter, Lesky and Mecham also provided singles during the rally.

Mecham was 4 for 4 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Freudenberger and Callahan each delivered two of their team's 14 hits.

WNC (9-14 overall) will travel to third-place Snow on Friday to start a four-game series.