The North Platte Community College Softball team will host the Dawson Community College Buccaneers in doubleheaders on both Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, March 11 at the Wayne Dowhower Softball Complex.

The Knights are 3 – 11 on the season.  They are led offensively by Sara Villalobos. Villalobos is leading the team in hitting with a 0.381 batting average, a 0.595 slugging percentage, and a 0.480 on base percentage.  Villalobos also has scored 11 runs, has three doubles, two home runs, and 11 runs batted in. Sara Runia leads the Knights in home runs with three on the season.

The pitching staff is anchored by Shannon Lieber and Baileigh Oleson.  Lieber has a 6.37 earned run average in 41 innings pitched.  She has 17 strike outs and has allowed 13 walks and five home runs.   Oleson has a 5.55 earned run average in 35.2 innings pitched.  Oleson has 18 strikeouts and has allowed 17 walks and 12 home runs.

The Buccaneers played their first games of their season today against Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado.  The Lady Buccaneers were 27 – 18 a year ago and return nine sophomores including Alissa Keeler, who led the team in hitting with a 0.467 and a 0.895 slugging percentage.  She had 13 home runs and 51 runs batted in.

In the circle, the Lady Buccaneers return Jackie Thomas and Chezarae Garcia, along with Keeler.  Thomas went 5  – 0 on the season, had a 1.70 earned run average, striking out 28 and only allowing two home runs.  Garcia went 2 – 5 on the season with a 4.72 earned run average.  Garcia struck out 41 and allowed two home runs on the season.

Game times for both days are at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. CDT.

All games will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 1410 and on www.northplattepost.com.  It will also be live streamed on www.coachesaid.com.

The North Platte Community College Knights softball team split a double header against the Colby Community College Lady Trojans on Sunday at the Dowhower Softball Complex.

The Knights won the opener 6 – 4 and were defeated in the nightcap 10 – 9 in eight innings.

In the first game, the Lady Trojans jumped out to an early lead off the bat of Collette West.  West doubled in the first inning and scored to give the Lady Trojans a 1 – 0 lead.  In the third inning the Lady Trojans hit back to back home runs by West and Rachel Van Gulick to take a 3 – 0 lead.  The Knights ended the Lady Trojans rally after Hannah Charles singled and advanced Alix Johnson who reached on a walk.  Britnee Higgs advanced the runners by sacricing them to second and third.  Knights’ pitcher Baileigh Oleson struck out Alexandra Vigil to end the inning.

The Knights in their half of the third got their first run when Shannon Lieber reached second on an error by the Lady Trojans rightfielder, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error by the Lady Trojans leftfielder.

With the Knights trailing Sara Villalobos batted in three runs on a double, knocking in Audrie Connor, Shannon Lieber and Caroline Motis to make the score 6 – 4.

Brittney Odum of the Knights made a spectacular defensive play when she caught the ball at the deepest part of centerfield, which made her tumble to the ground.  The Lady Trojans didn’t realize Odum had caught it and begin circling the bases and the Knights were able to double up the runner at first before she could get back.

Baileigh Oleson pitched six strong innings to pick up the win for the Knights.

In game two, the Lady Trojans took a 9 – 2 lead going into the seventh inning.  The Knights rallied to tie the game at nine when Mehana Chang hit a three run homer.

The Lady Trojans were able to score in their half of the eighth.  The Knights had the chance to  score in their half of the eighth with Villalobos on second .  Sara Runia reached first on an infield hit, which advanced Villalobos to third.  Villalobos was thrown out at home when she attempted to score when Odum grounded out.

Knights Head coach Janelle Higgins said, “We fought hard all day. Game one we made adjustments towards the end of them game and finished strong. Game two we had a rough inning but came back in the 7th to show we weren’t giving in and came up short. To be down 7 going into the 7th it would have been easy to roll over and these girls showed how tough they are by stepping up.”

The Knights go to 3  – 11 on the season and will play Dawson Community College on Tuesday and Wednesday at home.  Game times are at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. CDT on both days.

ESPN Radio 1410 and www.northplattepost.com will be broadcasting the games.  The games may be viewed on www.coachesaid.com.​

The North Platte Community College Knights softball team split a double header against Adams State University Grizzlies Junior Varsity on Friday at Alamosa, Colorado, losing the first game 13 – 4, and winning the nightcap 11 – 10.

In the first game the Knights started off the game with walks by Sara Villalobos and Brittney Odum.  Sara Runia reached on a fielder’s choice.  Villalobos scored on an error by the Griizzlies’ third baseman April Riggins.  The Grizzlies answered back in their half of the first by scoring two runs.

After pushing across two runs in the top of the fourth, the Knights faced just a 6-4 deficit. A groundout by Caroline Motis and an RBI single by Odum triggered  the Knights’ comeback. Shannon Lieber lined to center to end the Knights threat.

Adams State JV answered with seven runs of its own in the fourth. Adams State JV scored on an RBI single by Amy Pender, a two-run error, a sacrifice fly by Briana Rodriguez, an RBI single by Schulyer Adkins, an RBI single by Alexandria Quintana, and an RBI triple by April Riggins.

Lieber took the loss for the Knights pitching four innings and allowing seven earned runs.

Tara Crouch led the Knights offensively by reaching base twice and scoring two runs.  Crouch tripled and walked.

In the second game Runia clubbed two home runs to carry the Knights to an 11-10 win over Adams State JV in seven innings.

Each team blasted the other’s pitching, and there were 21 total runs and 22 hits during the game.

The teams traded runs for most of the contest, leading to eight lead changes in the game.

The Knights pulled out the win thanks to a strong fifth inning. The Knights scored on a three-run double by Shelby Clark off Kaitlin Hoffmann, bringing home Villalobos, Runia and Andrea Quiroga.

The Knights were sparked by Villalobos and Runia, who teamed up for seven hits and four RBI.

Baileigh Oleson pitched seven innings to get the win for the Knights.  Oleson struck out three and allowed six earned runs.

The Knights are now 2 – 10 on the season.  They will face Colby Community College on Sunday March 8 at home.  Game times are at noon and 2:00 p.m.  CDT.  The game may be seen on www.coachesaid.com.

The North Platte Community College Knights softball team will be at home for the first time this season when they play the Colby Community College Lady Trojans in a doubleheader on Sunday, March 8 at the Dowhower Softball Complex.

The Knights are 1 – 9 on the season.  Offensively they are led by Shannon Lieber, who is batting 0.345 in 29 at bats.  Lieber has had five doubles and one home run for a slugging percentage of 0.621.  She has also batted in six runs. The Knights have hit six home runs on the season: two by Sara Villalobos; two by Brittney Odum and one each by Lieber and Sara Runia. Villalobos and Odum lead the team in runs batted in with eight.

Lieber also is the leader on the Knights pitching staff.  She has a record of 0 – 4 with a 4.26 earned run average. She has 12 strikeouts and has only walked four batters.

The Lady Trojans are 7 – 4 on the season.  They have defeated the Knights in the first two games of the season 6 – 4 and 3 – 0. They are led at the plate by Shelbi Day with a 0.452 batting average with a double and two triples.  The Lady Trojans have had three home runs this season.  One each by Tanner Harvey, Sarah Churchwell and Tahnee Saxton.

Mara Nash and Abby Martin have anchored the Lady Trojan pitching staff. Nash has a 2 – 2 record with a 2.41 earned run average with 31 strikeouts. Martin is 3 – 1 with a 5.73 earned run average and 11 strikeouts.

Game times are at noon and 2:00 pm CDT.  They may be viewed at www.coachesaid.com.

The North Platte Community College Knights softball team will travel to Alamosa, Colorado and play the Adams State University Grizzlies Junior Varsity in a doubleheader on Friday, March 6.

The Knights enter the contest with a 1 – 9 record and are coming off a loss to Division I 15^th rated Western Nebraska Community College.

The Knights are led offensively by Shannon Lieber, who is batting 0.345 in 35 plate appearances. Lieber has a slugging percentage of 0.621 with five doubles and one home run.  Sara Villalobos and Brittney Odum each have two home runs for the Knights.

Lieber also anchors the pitching staff. Lieber has a 5.28 earned run average in 29.0 innings pitched.  She has 14 strikeouts and has allowed four home runs.

Game times are scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. CST.

 

The North Platte Community College Knights softball team was defeated by the Western Nebraska Community College Lady Cougars in a doubleheader Monday afternoon 12 – 6 and 15 – 1.

In the first game the Lady Cougars scored four runs in the first inning.  Andy Hancock had three runs batted in on two hits, a single in the first and a home run in the fifth. The Knights started off the second inning with a home run by Sara Villalobos, a walk to Shannon Lieber and a single by Sara Runia to start a rally.  However, the Cougars pitcher Whitney Fields struck out the next two batters, allowed a single by Jessica Jarvis to load the bases, but got Caroline Motis to pop out to the third baseman.

The Cougars scored one more run in the bottom of the second and two in the third.  The Knights scored two in the second on a two-run home run by Shannon Lieber and three runs in the third on a bases loaded walk to Audrie Connor, an RBI single by Brittney Odum and an RBI single by Sara Villalobos to close the deficit to one 7 – 6.   The Cougars opened up the game in the fifth inning by scoring five runs.

Andy Hancock pitched the final two innings and didn’t allow a base runner for the Knights.

Shannon Lieber took the loss for the Knights.  Lieber pitched six innings, allowed eight earned runs on 13 hits, striking out two and allowing a home run.

In the second game of the day, the Lady Cougars opened the game up in the first inning by scoring six runs on a two-run double by Kenzie Sawyer, an RBI single by Lindsay Guymon, and a three-run home run by Andy Hancock.  It was Hancock’s second three–run home run of the day.

The lone run for the Knights was scored by Jessica Jarvis, who walked in the fifth inning, reached third on a single by Sara Runia and then scored on a fielder’s choice by Sara Villalobos.

Hancock pitched four scoreless innings for the Cougars to pick up the win.  Sara Runia took the loss for the Knights allowing nine earned runs on eight hits and four walks and one home run in two innings.

The Knights record drops to 1 – 9 on the season.  The Cougars improve to 15 – 3.

The Knights are on the road again when they travel to play Adams State University Junior Varsity in a double header on Friday, March 6.  Game times are at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. CST.