North Platte – The North Platte Community College Knights softball team dropped a pair of games to Region IX Division II opponent Central Community College Lady Raiders Wednesday afternoon 8-7 and 14-2.

The Lady Raiders scored two runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead..  The Lady Raiders added a run in the second to make the score 3-0.  The Knights avoided a big inning by the Lady Knights with the bases loaded. The Lady Raiders Danica Schaefer popped out to the second baseman Erin Renwick, who threw back to Hallei Morales to double off Baylee Conley to end the second inning.

The score remained the same until the fifth inning.  The Lady Raiders scored three runs on an RBI single by Schaeffer and then a two-run home run by Jenna Robinson.

The Knights got on the scoreboard on a home run by Morales to cut the Lady Raider lead to 6-1.

The Knights scored again on a hit by Ana Talaroc-Kaniho which scored Emily Marsden to cut the lead to 6-2.

In the top of the seventh, the Lady Raiders added a couple of insurance runs on a two-run home run by Robinson.

The Lady Raiders needed the insurance runs as the Knights rallied in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five runs to make the score 8-7.

In game two, the Lady Raiders jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a two-run home run.

The Lady Raiders broke open the game with a five run third inning, leading 7-0

Morales accounted for both runs in the game, driving in Kaniho in the fourth inning and then hitting her second home run of the afternoon

The Lady Raiders’ Kaitlynn Keene helped her own cause by hitting a grand slam in the sixth inning.

Keene picked up the win for the Lady Raiders, while Erin Renwick took the loss.

The Knights dropped to 3-27 on the season and 2-6 in Region IX Division II play.

The same two teams face off tomorrow in a doubleheader with games at noon and 2 pm.

ESPN 1410 will broadcast the game and on the web at www.northplattepost.com .

They will also be live-streamed at www.npccknights.com.