North Platte – The North Platte Community College softball team (4-19) was swept Saturday afternoon by the Iowa Western Community College Reivers (19-12). In the first game the Knights fell 11-0 in seven innings and in the second game fell 13-0 in five innings.

In the first game of the day, Katharine Savolt took the loss on the mound. Savolt had four strikeouts and gave up eight hits, including one home run. The Knights trailed the Reivers 0-2 after six innings, but gave up nine runs in the top of the seventh. The Knights had no hits and only two base runners as Siarra Velasquez and Britlee Anderson each drew a walk.

Shannon Lieber took the loss on the mound in the second game. Lieber gave up six hits, three walks and three earned runs to go along with a strikeout. Sydney Standage had the only hits for the Knights as she went 2-2 from the plate with two singles.

“Our biggest enemy was our offense today,” said head coach Janelle Higgins “as we were very undisciplined at the plate. We watched too many good pitches go by and swung at too many junk pitches. When you only have 4 base runners in two games it’s hard to win and even harder when you strikeout like we did today.”

“Iowa Western has a solid team and very tough pitchers. We still have work to do but there still is plenty of season left and we have our moments of being a solid team we just have to put it all together.”

The Knights return to the diamond on Monday when they host the Hastings College JV at the Dowhower Softball Complex at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

McCook – The North Platte Community College softball team (4-17) travelled to McCook Thursday afternoon where they dropped two games to the McCook Community College Indians (19-8) by the score is 1-2 and 1-9. The Knights have cancelled their games Friday with Iowa Western Community College.

In game one, the Knights fell by a score of 1-2 to the Indians. Katharine Savolt took the loss on the mound giving up one unearned run, three hits, three walks and had one strikeout. Shannon Lieber also pitched for the Knights giving up one hit and one walk.

Siarra Velasquez and Jazmin Change had the only hits for the Knights. Velasquez had a double, a stolen base and score the only run for the Knights on a sacrifice fly by Brooke Wakefield.

In the second game, the Knights again lost 1-9. Rylee Murphy took the loss on the mound on six runs, including three earned runs, three hits, three walks and one strikeout. Lieber again threw for the Knights giving up three earned runs on three hits, one walk and one strikeout.

Velasquez had the only run of the game for the Knights with a solo homerun in the first inning.

“For the first time this spring our defense was locked in for 7 innings (in the first game),” said head coach Janelle Higgins. “We didn’t get the wins but today was a good day for our softball program.”

“McCook has a solid team and the first game was a great game to watch. Game two we got a little too relaxed and allowed a few unearned runs, had a few errors and they found a couple gaps for a couple runs.”

“The last week we have really been focusing on improving our defense and it has finally showed.”

The Knights games with Iowa Western Community College on Friday have been cancelled. The Knights are scheduled to square off with Iowa Western on Saturday, weather dependent. The games on Saturday are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

North Platte – The North Platte Community College softball team (4-15) dropped four games to the Williston State College Tetons over the course of two days and two double-headers. On Monday, the Knights lost 0-7 and 5-10 while on Tuesday the Knights fell 7-20 and 8-16. The Knights return to action on Thursday March 27 as they travel to McCook Community College (16-7) to face the Lady Indians at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. The games were originally schedule for 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

In the opening game on Monday, the Knights were held to only three hits. Jazmin Chang, Lexi Bryant and Katharine Savolt each recorded a hit for the Knights.

In the second game, the Knights were only able to muster three hits again but were able to score five runs. Brooke Wakefield led the Knights at the plate going 2-4, with one RBI, two stolen bases and one run scored. Britlee Anderson had the other hit going 1-3 with one RBI, one stolen base and one run scored.

“On Monday we did not carry over our offense from the day before and struggled at the plate,” said head coach Janelle Higgins. “Their pitcher had a very decent rise and we fell for it all day.”

On Tuesday, the Knights bats woke up a little as the Knights recorded seven hits. Anderson led the Knights going 2-3 with a double, a stolen base and a run scored. Soliel Atenza, Rylee Murphy, Sydney Standage, Brittney Odum and Chang all recorded a hit for the Knights. Six runners were left on base.

In the fourth game of the series, the Knights recorded nine hits. Atenza led the way by going 2-3 from the plate. Siarra Velasquez, Wakefield, Anderson, Savolt, Chang, Murphy and Odum all had a hit in the game. Velasquez had three stolen bases while Wakefield had two.

“Tuesday was a rough day. We relied on (Katharine) Savolt and (Rylee) Murphy to pitch,” said Higgins “they stepped up to the challenge but our defense did not show up. We committed too many errors behind them both to win.”

“Our team is young and still adjusting but they have showed a great amount of fight to be down like we were on Tuesday and fight to get runs. I am proud of these girls. We have tough games the next three days as we play McCook Community College and Iowa Western Community College. We are going to have to show up and be ready from the beginning to the end of all three games. It’s not how we start the season it is how we finish and I am still confident and believe that we will start getting the wins and make a run this next month.”

After the Knights face McCook on Thursday, the Knights return home for a four game series with Iowa Western Community College on Friday and Saturday. The games on Friday are scheduled for 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and the games on Saturday are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

 

North Platte – The North Platte Community College Softball team announced the signing of a National Letter of Intent by Reanna Crane of Maxwell High School.

“I’m excited for the new academic and athletic challenges and opportunities that I’ll be offered,” said Crane. “It’s exciting to further my career in softball and to do it in a place where I’ve grown up playing.”

Crane was joined on her signing day by her Express Club Coach Mark Franzen (back left), her parents Tara Crane and Allen Crane (back middle) and Maxwell’s superintendent and athletic director Mr. Boucher (back right).

“Anna is a very dedicated, smart and athletic young lady,” said Coach Franzen “and will be a huge addition to the NPCC Knights softball program.”

“Anna will bring some depth to our middle infield and speed in our offense,” said head coach Janelle Higgins. “She has been a multi-sport athlete in high school which is always a positive.”

Beatrice – The North Platte Community College softball team (4-11) traveled to Beatrice on Sunday afternoon where they earned two victories over the Southeast Community College Storm (0-17). In the first game of the day the Knights won 12-4 with Shannon Lieber earning the victory on the mound. In the second game, the Knights again emerged victorious by a score of 12-2 with Rylee Murphy earning the victory.

With the victory in the first game, Lieber earned her third victory of the year on the mound. She gave up four hits, one walk and three earned runs to go along with four strikeouts.

Britlee Anderson led the way for the Knights at the plate as she went 3-4 with one run, one RBI and one double. Brooke Wakefield and Lieber each went 2-3 from the plate. Wakefield scored two runs, had one walk and two stolen bases. Lieber had three runs, three RBIs, one walk and a homerun. Soliel Atenza was 1-2 with two runs, one walk, one RBI and one sacrifice. Katharine Savolt was 1-3 with one run, one RBI and a homerun.

In the second game, Murphy earned her first victory of the season giving up four hits, two earned runs, and two walks to go along with five strikeouts.

Lieber and Savolt each went 2-3 from the plate to go along with two runs, two RBIs and one double for Savolt and one run, one homerun and three RBIS for Lieber. Siarra Velasquez and Atenza each went 2-4. Velasquez had two runs, two RBIs, one triple and two stolen bases. Atenza had one run, one triple and two stolen bases. Wakefield rounded up the hits for the Knights as she was 1-2 with two runs, one RBI, one walk and two stolen bases.

“We came out ready to play and scored right away which always helps,” said head coach Janelle Higgins. “Our pitchers moved the ball very well to keep their hitters off balanced and our defense stepped up today. Offensively we were aggressive at the plate, we adjusted decently to their pitching staff and got back into making solid connections at the plate and not over striding or swinging.”

“I am very proud of the fight in our team. We are still learning and growing everyday which is always a good thing.”

The Knights have a busy week as they return to action on Monday at home against Williston State College at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The Knights and Tetons square off again on Tuesday in another double-header at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. The Knights then travel to McCook Community College on Thursday for games at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. before returning home for home games against Iowa Western Community College on March 28 and 29.