Photo: Tina Horton gives a big hug to Tori Travers after she scored with her 4th-inning grand slam in game two against Luna Community College on Monday.

Tori Travers finished the day with two home runs, including a grand slam, and had 11 RBIs in the two games Monday as the Cougars claimed a conference doubleheader from Luna Community College.

The first game saw the Cougars score early and never trailed while getting a complete game pitching performance from Abbey Arntsen in the 7-4 win.

The second game saw Travers get a grand slam with six RBIs as the Cougars scored 12 times in the fourth inning to get the 17-4, five-inning win.

Travers, the sophomore from Sammanish, Washington, said these two wins were huge especially how the team played on Sunday where they fell twice to Luna.

“I think that these two wins are very important because it is the true start to our season, we did not show our true selves on Sunday and that shows in today’s games knocking it out of the park with communication and togetherness on the field,” Travers said. “It’s nice to see all of our pitching/catching staff coming out aggressively. I enjoyed seeing the adjustments and trust with one another. The bounce back from our pitching staff was incredible coming back from the day before.”

The two wins Monday was definitely a team effort as the Cougars scored 24 runs and only allowed Luna four runs in each game.

“I think our team did very well,” Travers said. “We showed up great for one another and offensively attacking OUR pitches while defending anything hit in the field.”

WNCC never trailed in game one with one run in the first and three in the second. The first saw Tina Horton get a lead-off triple and scored on a Travers sacrifice fly and the 1-0 lead.

The second saw Luna load the bases on a couple errors and a walk, but the Cougar defense was sharp and didn’t allow a run. Then, the Cougars added three in the bottom of the second. Vikoria Sarkanyova reached on an error followed by Ellie Soper getting a single. With two outs, Travers delivered a home run to left field to make it 4-0.

WNCC scored one in the fourth when Travers singled in Soper to make it 5-2.

The fifth saw Luna plate two runs on four hits. Not to be outdone, WNCC scored twice in the frame on a Gracie Holm 2-run home run to make it 7-2.

Luna tried to make a comeback in the seventh as they scored two runs and had two runners on when Arntsen called the final out on a strikeout.

WNCC had eight hits in the win. Travers and Holm each had two hits. Travers had a home run and five RBIs, while Holm had a home run with two RBIs. Soper scored twice.

Arntsen threw all seven innings in scattering nine hits, allowing four runs, and striking out two as she faced just 33 batter and had 100 pitches.

The second game saw the Cougars get behind the 8-ball in the first inning as Luna scored four times. WNCC scored one in the bottom of the frame as Horton scored on a sacrifice fly by Jasmine Castro.

WNCC retook the lead at 5-4 when they scored four times in the second with all the runs coming with two outs. WNCC loaded the bases and then with two outs, Horton delivered a double that scored three runs to tie the game. Horton came in to score on a Travers double and the 5-4 lead.

Neither team scored in the third and WNCC held Luna scoreless in the fourth.

WNCC’s fourth inning was epic with plenty of good at bats and the frame started with Alyssa Albaugh getting a bunt single and then Soper was hit by a pitch. WNCC loaded the bases after Horton singled. Travers scored one when she walked. Two more walks and a passed ball scored runs to make it 9-4 with two outs.

Adi Duke followed with a hit that scored two runs for an 11-5 lead. Albaugh was hit by a pitch and then Sarkanyova singled to load the bases. Soper and Horton walked to force in two runs. Travers then took the third pitch and sent one to centerfield where the ball hit the top of the fence and fell over for a grand slam and the 17-4 lead.

Travers said that was her first grand slam and she wasn’t even looking to hit it out.

“In my softball career, I have never hit a grand slam so it felt great,” she said. “Honestly, all I had in my head was ‘hit the ball hard’ (if it was my pitch). When I saw it over the fence I was stoked not only for myself but everybody on my team. It wouldn’t have been as good if nobody was on base, so I’m just glad I got to execute a job and push us into a wide open win.”

Luna got two on after two walks, but Holm got the final out on a strikeout and the win.

WNCC pounded out eight hits with Horton and Travers getting two hits each. Travers had her grand slam with a double and six RBIs with two runs scored. Horton had a double with four runs scored and four RBIs. Adi Duke, Alyssa Albaugh, Sarkanyova, and Soper all scored twice in game.

Holm picked up the win, going five innings while scattering six hits and allowing just those four first-inning runs while striking out five.

WNCC will be back in action this weekend with a 4-game series with Northeastern Junior College. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday in Sterling, Colorado, and then a doubleheader Sunday in Scottsbluff.

Game 1

Luna 000 020 2 – 4 9 4

WNCC 130 120 x – 7 8 3

WP – Abbey Arntsen.

3B – Tori Horton.

HR – Gracie Holm, Tori Travers.

Game 2

Luna 400 00 – 4 6 2

WNCC 140 (12)x – 17 8 0

WP – Gracie Holm.

2B – Tina Horton, Tori Travers.

HR – Tori Travers.

WNCC baseball drops a pair of games in Arizona

                PHOENIX – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team opened its Spring Break Arizona trip with a pair of defeats on Monday.

                The first game saw South Mountain Community College limit the Cougars to just one hit in posting the 10-0 win. The second game saw Will Harbison get a first-inning home run, but after that Chander-Gilbert Community College earned the 12-1 five-inning win on a rainy night.

                The first game saw South Mountain score one run in the first and it was a pitcher’s dual for the first two innings. The third inning saw South Mountain score five and they added four more in the fourth for the 10-0.

                WNCC had just four baserunners in the game. Harbison had a walk in the second inning and then Jase Satterfield earned a walk in the third inning. The fourth inning saw WNCC make some noise as Dakota Alber led off with a walk followed by Catcher Gladysh getting the first hit of the game for the Cougars. WNCC, however, couldn’t get a run across.

                The second game saw the Cougars manage just three hits as Harbison had a home run while Daniel Chavez and Ty Beutner each getting singles.

                Chandler-Gilbert scored three in the first, two in the second, and one in the third for a 6-1 lead. The fourth inning saw Chandler Gilbery scored six runs for the 12-1 lead.

                WNCC will be back in action Tuesday when they face Central Arizona College in a doubleheader in Chandler, Arizona.

Game 1

WNCC                                000 00 – 0 1 0

South Mountain           105 4x – 10 12 0

LP – Carter Reisig.

Game 2

WNCC                                 100 00 – 1 3 3

Chandler-Gilbert         321 6x – 12 8 0

LP – Jack McCrea.

HR – Will Harbison.