Cloud County Softball Returns to Action, Drops Pair of Road Games at Central Community College

Returning to action for the first time in nine days, the Cloud County Community College softball team would wind up on the wrong end of a pair of games against Central Community College, losing by scores of 5-3 and 11-3 at the CCC Softball Field in Columbus, Nebraska on Tuesday, March 21st.

With the defeats, Cloud County falls to 4-12 overall on the year while Central Community College improves to 13-8 overall while earning a series victory over the T-Birds with three wins in four games played between the two teams.

GAME ONE:
Managing to grab an early lead with two runs in the top of the second, Cloud County would see Central tie things back up at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning with two hits and a walk leading to a pair of runs while stranding a go-ahead runner at third to end the inning. The Raiders would then take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the third with two more runs on two hits and a walk with a pair of two-out hits bringing home the two runs to put Central up 4-2 heading into the fourth. Another single run for Central in the bottom of the fourth would put the T-Birds in a 5-2 hole heading to the fifth as the score would remain a three-run lead for the Raiders throughout the next two innings. Needing to score at least three in the top of the seventh, Cloud County would get a rally started with a leadoff single before extending the game with an error by the Raiders that would allow a run to score and bring the game-tying run to the plate before a groundout to end the game and allow Central to hang on for a two-run victory.

Limited to just four hits in the game, Cloud County would strand five base runners and draw just three walks with McKenna Mayhew and Jayden Rehlander recording two hits each. Rehlander would drive in one of the two T-Bird runs with pitcher Taylor Dekok also recording one RBI in the game. Dekok would throw all six innings in the circle for Cloud County, striking out 11 but ultimately taking the loss with five runs allowed on six hits and four walks.

GAME TWO:
Allowing two runs on a hit and an error in the bottom of the first, Cloud County would see Central add to their lead in the bottom of the third as two more hits along with a walk would lead to two more runs for the Raiders to put the score at 4-0 after three innings of play. Single runs would come home for Central in both the bottom of the fifth and bottom of the sixth innings to put the Raiders up 6-0 before the T-Birds would finally manage to break through on the scoreboard with a Kaitlynn Baca leadoff single to set up an Emily Kvasnicka two-run home run as part of a three-run top of the sixth to cut the Raider lead in half at 6-3. Unfortunately for Cloud County, Central would respond with a rally of their own by putting together five hits in the bottom of the sixth as part of a game-ending five runs with the final run of the game coming home on a wild pitch.

Matching their scoring output from game one, Cloud County would see six different players record at least one hit as part of an eight-hit effort with Kvasnicka and Hannah Hotalen hitting a game-high two hits each. Stranded base runners would again prove to be costly as six T-Birds would be left on base in the game with Cloud County drawing just one walk compared to four strikeouts.

What's Next?
Changes to the upcoming schedule will now see Cloud County play host to the Kansas Wesleyan University JV team in their next time out with first pitch at the CCCC Softball Field set to take place at 3 PM on Thursday, March 23rd. The doubleheader with the Coyotes replaces what was scheduled to be a home doubleheader with North Platte Community College as the Knights were forced to cancel after having their conference schedule shifted around to avoid potential weather issues over the weekend.