The Western Nebraska Community College softball team earned a split with McCook Community College on Sunday in the final regular season contest for the Cougars with WNCC ripping three home runs in the second game to earn a heart-pounding 9-7 win to earn a split with McCook at Volunteer Field.
The first game saw McCook score early and then held on for the 11-1 win.
WNCC ends the season at 14-24 overall and 10-14 in conference play. Northeastern Junior College earned the final spot for the 4-team regional tournament after taking the fourth game of their series against Trinidad State to earn a berth into the tournament at 11-13.
Sunday’s game was also sophomore recognition for the three sophomores, Baylie Krueger, Devyn Priselac, and Katelynn Czerpak, who were recognized before the game.
Krueger, who has spent three years at WNCC after a redshirt season in 21-22, said the team played hard to earn the split, but it is also bittersweet that she had to take off her Cougar uniform for the final time.
“The team played really well today in the second game to come back after a tough first game loss to win the second,” Krueger, the second baseman from Swink, Colorado, said. “It was a full team effort, and everyone did what they needed to do in order for us to pull out the win and end the season on a high note.”
Krueger said after the game, it was difficult realizing that her Cougar career was over, but she is hoping to play at the next level someplace.
“It was extremely hard knowing that I wouldn’t get to wear the jersey ever again, but I am so incredibly thankful for the opportunity to have worn a Cougar uniform and represent this program and school,” she said. “Having the opportunity to be a Cougar at WNCC has been a once in a lifetime experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I have made the greatest of friends and the best memories being at WNCC, and it has just been such a blessing to be able to call Scottsbluff my home away from home.”
While the team’s season came to an end, the one bright spot for the team entering next season is they will be going into the 2025 season on a winning streak. Krueger said the freshmen should be able to build off of this season for next year.
“Firstly, I am so so proud of the freshmen class this year and how they have worked to make huge improvements this season,” she said. “My advice to the freshmen and the incoming players is to never take anything for granted while they are here. It goes extremely fast, so I would tell them to take advantage of every opportunity you are given and embrace all the ups and downs of being a college athlete.”
The second game was a well-played contest by the Cougars, and it saw the WNCC offense come alive as they finished with 11 hits including home runs from Bailey Legere, Randi Mitchell, and Mykah Klumpp.
The hitting attack was led by Jenika Fuentes with three hits, all singles along with two RBIs and a run scored. Mitchell and Legere each had two hits with a home run. Legere had two RBIs and two runs scored while Mitchell had an RBI and two runs scored.
Neither team scored in the first. WNCC got on the scoreboard first with two runs in the second. Mitchell started things with a 2-out single. Legere then came up and sent a pitch over the centerfield fence for the 2-0 lead.
McCook came back to tie the game with two in the third inning and took a 3-2 lead with a run in the fourth.
WNCC responded in the bottom half of the fourth with five runs on four hits. Mitchell knotted the game at 3-3 with a solo home run. Legere and Priselac followed with singles. Sierra Hilgner then earned a walk to load the bases with two outs.
Fuentes came through with a single to score two runs for a 5-3 lead. Klumpp was then hit by a pitch to load the bases once again. Krueger scored another run with a fielder’s choice hit and then Fuentes scored by stealing home for the 7-3 lead.
McCook battled back to tie the game at 7-7 with four runs in the sixth all beginning with a Dean solo home run followed by four straight hits.
WNCC fought back in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Klumpp puts WNCC on top 8-7 with a solo home run. That was followed by a Krueger double. Krueger scored on a single by Reagan Werth for the 9-7 lead.
The seventh went quick for the WNCC offense as starting, and winning, pitcher Fuentes needed just seven pitches to get a line out, a pop out, and the final out a ground out to shortstop Legere to Kayli Cooper at first for the final out.
The first game saw McCook start strong by scoring four in the first and two in the second for the 6-0 lead. Brylee Dean, a Gering graduate, had the big hit for the Indians in the first inning with a run-scoring triple.
WNCC came back with a run in the third. Priselac started things as she reached on an error and came in to score on a single from Czerpak and some throwing errors.
WNCC had something going in the fourth when Klumpp led off with a double and Krueger was hit by a pitch, but both were left stranded on base.
WNCC managed just two hits in the contest from Czerpak and Klumpp.
After the game, the team huddled together with hugs as it was their final game. Krueger said sophomore recognition was special and it will be one to remember for a long time. She is thankful to everyone that supported her and her teammates during the last three years she has been a Cougar.
“Sophomore recognition before the game was a very emotional moment, but it felt so good to know that so many people support us and have been supporting us in our time at WNCC. It made me even more thankful for all the people that have helped the other sophomores and I while being here,” she said. “My time at WNCC was definitely a rollercoaster and three years of learning more about myself. Being at WNCC, I was able to fully experience being a college athlete and the challenges and triumphs that come with it. I was able to make some of my best memories, and ultimately, I will be leaving WNCC a much better person than when I got here. I will cherish my three years at WNCC forever!”
Game 1
McCook 420 020 3 – 11 13 1
WNCC 001 000 0 – 1 2 2
LP – Bella Pacheco.
2B – Mykah Klumpp.
Game 2
McCook 002 104 0 – 7 10 1
WNCC 020 502 x – 9 11 2
WP – Jenika Fuentes.
2B – Baylie Krueger.
HR – Bailey Legere, Randi Mitchell, Mykah Klumpp.
