WNC Softball: Wildcats give No. 1 Phoenix trouble

There has been no shortage of opportunities for Western Nevada College to measure itself against the elite junior college softball teams in the county. A week after losing a tight game with second-ranked Eastern Arizona, the Wildcats squared off with Phoenix College, the National Junior College Athletics Association's top-ranked Division II team, at the Artichoke Classic on Saturday in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The Wildcats of Carson City took an early 1-0 lead against the nine-time national champion Bears and were tied with Phoenix in the fifth inning. Phoenix, however, rallied for six runs in the fifth and sixth innings for an 8-3 victory.

"It was a good fight, right to the end," said WNC coach Leah Wentworth. "Their pitcher was holding us off pretty good, and our bats couldn't come alive quick enough."

In the first inning, Noa Talia's groundout plated Makaylee Jaussi with the first run.

Phoenix didn't record its first hit off Kristina George until the fourth inning. A one-out single by Brittany Hopper triggered a two-run rally aided by a pair of walks with the bases loaded. George prevented further damage with a fly out, leaving the bases jammed.

Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, WNC produced the tying run on a two-out hit by Jaussi. With Triniece Lesky on second base, Jaussi popped a double to center field to score her teammate. It was WNC's first hit off Emerald Grijalva.
Danae King put Phoenix back on top, 4-2, with a two-run homer off George in the bottom of the fifth.

Phoenix got some breathing room in the sixth, taking advantage of consecutive fielding errors. Both runners who reached on the miscues scored on a double by Sally Gastelo. Amanda Preach followed with a two-run homer, making the score 8-2.

But the Wildcats didn't go down to defeat without a fight. In the seventh, Jaussi doubled for the second time after the Bears recorded a double play. A walk to Bailey Henderson and a hit by pitch loaded the bases. Talia delivered a run-scoring single to cut WNC's deficit to five runs, necessitating the use of reliever Kennedy Garcia. Garcia was up to the challenge, striking out Briauna Carter to end the game.

Prior to its matchup with Phoenix on Saturday, a pinch-hit double by Britni Greninger broke a tie and Kaitlyn Jimmy provided scoreless relief as the Wildcats overcame South Mountain Community College, 7-5, to even their record at 5-5.

"We've talked about anyone taking that role has to be prepared and ready to go, and Britni did exactly that," Wentworth said. "She stepped up in a clutch moment for the team, and that's really exciting."

WNC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run base hit by Talia. The rally started with Jaussi singling to left and swiping second base. Then, Henderson beat out a bunt to third, advancing Jaussi to third, before stealing second base.

"The top of our lineup has a lot of speed and they did a good job of putting pressure on the defense," Wentworth said.

WNC padded its lead to 3-0 in the second as Lesky belted her first homer of the season. Carter and Chelsea Latu scored unearned runs before the second inning expired, pushing WNC's cushion to five runs.

However, South Mountain pulled even in the third. A bases-clearing double by Brianna Garcia highlighted a five-run rally. South Mountain reloaded the bases with two outs, ending freshman pitcher McKell Marble's afternoon in the circle.

Jimmy coaxed Bailey Coronado to hit into a rally-killing groundout.

In the sixth, WNC mounted a scoring threat against reliever Kylie Weigl. Jaussi reached base on a walk and went to third on Henderson's base hit to center. Both Wildcats came home on a double by pinch-hitter Greninger. Weigl wiggled out of further trouble with two strikeouts and a fly out.

Jimmy was nearly unhittable in her relief outing. The Carson High School grad gave up two hits in 4 1/3 scoreless innings to notch the victory. She threw 25 strikes and required only 31 pitches to complete the win.

Henderson and Jaussi went 2 for 4 with two runs scored, while Talia knocked in two runs with two hits.

WNC (5-6) isn't scheduled to play again until opening Scenic West Athletic Conference action on March 4 at College of Southern Idaho. Even though the Wildcats have been limited in their outdoor workouts in Carson City because of the weather, Wentworth said her team is executing.

"I'm really impressed with the job they are doing defensively, especially being unable to work outdoors since November," she said. "Dakota (Robinson) is extending into splits to make a lot of plays at first base and all of the outfielders are making diving catches.

"If defense wins championships, we're on the right page early in the season."