LAS VEGAS, N.M. – DesaRae Woolsey struck out nine and allowed just four hits as the Western Nebraska Community College softball team captured a 7-3 win over Luna Community College Friday afternoon in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

                Woolsey put together a strong showing in the circle as the sophomore went all seven innings in striking out nine, walking just one, and scattering four hits, all in the first three innings.

                Woolsey said the team played well and her defense backed her up.

                "Today was a different day and it felt good to just go out and compete," she said. "We took our weakness from past games and turned them into our strengths, specifically defensively. Our defense made great plays, they had my back and we fed off that energy throughout the entire game."

                The nine strikeouts is a career high for Woolsey who said she came close to that number in high school, but never got nine in a game. She had five strikeouts last year as a freshman for the Cougars in a 10-9 win over Northeastern Junior College.

                "Every day in the circle is a learning moment. Today was all about continuing to trust my defense behind me and having confidence in every single pitch," she said. "In high school, I've come close to 9 strikeouts, but it felt great to finally do it in a Cougar jersey. I wouldn't have been able to accomplish that without my team though; they motivate me and make me want to get better."

                The key in the game was defense and Woolsey couldn't be more proud of her teammates behind her.

                "After that solo home run Luna hit, I was not going to let that take away my momentum and let it effect my team. I have 8 girls on that field with me and they're all willing to work hard to get us out of situations like that," Woolsey said. "We didn't let that one hit drag us down, instead we built off it and I couldn't be more proud. We just need to continue to improve everyday as a team going into the last part of the season and carry that mentality with us as well."               

                Woolsey surrendered that solo home run in the fourth inning and after that home run to make it 5-3, Woolsey and the Cougar defense sat down 12 straight batters including four strikeouts.

                The Cougar defense also turned a key double play early in the game.

                Offensively, WNCC had 10 hits. It was Woolsey twin sister DemiRae and her battery-mate behind the plate on defense that got the offense started early. After Arianah Plorin walked and Chloe Cronquist singled, DemiRae rocketed a 3-run home run to give the Cougars the 3-0 first-inning lead.

                Luna came back in the second as the Roughriders had a 2-run shot in the top of the second. WNCC answered with two more runs in the bottom of the third when Cronquist walked, was sacrificed over to second by DemiRae. Morgan Dustin then reached on an error followed by a 2-run single by Sianna Lewis to make it 5-2.

                Luna added the fourth-inning leadoff home run to make it 5-3. After DesaRae surrendered that shot, the sophomore pitcher settled in and controlled the Roughrider hitters striking out the next two batters and then inducing a infield grounder that shortstop Cronquist easily handled.

                The fifth, sixth and seventh inning saw the DesaRae and the Cougar defense play well as DesaRae limited her pitches. In the fifth, the right-hander had just nine pitches, while the sixth saw eight pitches, and the seventh just nine pitches.

                WNCC added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, which really weren't needed with the way the Cougars were playing in the field. Victoria Wharton led off with a single followed by Cronquist earning her second walk of the game. Then, with two outs, Dustin reached on an error to score one run and then Lewis had a double to plate another run for the 7-3 lead.

                Wharton went 3-for-4 in the game with three singles and a run scored. Cronquist was 2-for-2 with two walks, while Lewis had two hits with three RBIs. DemiRae had three RBIs and a home run.

                WNCC and Luna will be back in action Saturday and Sunday with doubleheader action beginning at 11 a.m. both days.

                Woolsey said they have to keep building off this game and keep pushing and picking up momentum.

"Going forward, it's one pitch at a time. One inning at a time. Back to the basics and running off energy and momentum," she said. "We need to take everything we did well today and carry that into these next games in order to be successful!"

Luna      201 000 0 – 3 4 2
WNCC   302 002 x – 7 10 0
WP – DesaRae Woolsey.
2B – Sianna Lewis.
HR – DemiRae Woolsey.