Knights Softball wins one/drops one at season opening tournament

Aberdeen, S.D. – The North Platte Community College Knights Softball Team is off to a strong start following a season opening tournament in Aberdeen, S.D. Saturday. 

The Knights played Lake Region State College first and snatched a late lead for an 8-6 victory. The game was tied at six with the Knights batting in the bottom of the sixth when Nancy Martinez doubled on a 1-0 count, scoring one run for NPCC. 

Both offenses were strong at the plate with the Knights collecting 13 hits and Lake Region 12 in the high-scoring affair. 

Martinez, April Grace, Paige Scott, Krysta-Lyn Lewis and Kelsey Woodhouse each racked up multiple hits for North Platte. Woodhouse led with three hits in three at bats. 

Angelina Lockhart toed the rubber on the defensive side of the ball. The righty went seven innings, allowing six runs on 12 hits and striking out six. 

"Angelina pitched a very consistent game to get the win," said Janelle Higgins, NPCC head softball coach. "She has grown so much since her freshman year. It was great seeing her confidence on the mound in game one." 

The Knights took on the North Dakota State College of Science Wildcats next and fell 4-8. They got things started in the second inning, scoring two runs when Lockhart singled. 

The Wildcats tied the game in the bottom of the third inning after scoring one run on a stolen base then pulled away for good with four runs in the fourth inning.  

Sasha Strandberg was the pitcher for the Knights. The righty surrendered six runs on 10 hits over four innings, striking out four and walking one.  

Jenelle Gudjonson and Taelyn Dakamas entered the game from the bullpen, and each threw one inning. 

North Platte launched one home run on the day - Lockhart had a homer in the fifth inning. The Knights tallied seven hits in the game with Lockhart and Martinez each managing multiples. Lockhart led with three hits in three at bats.  

"Our youth showed in game two," Higgins said. "We took the lead early and got complacent and made adjustments too late." 

Overall, though, she was pleased with how the day went. 

"Today gave us a good view of what some of our strengths and weaknesses are and a foundation to build on the rest of the season," Higgins said. "I'm very proud of the team. It's hard to go on the road seven and a half hours and play in a dome to start the year." 

The Knights will travel south for their next game. They will take on Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland, Kan. in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Feb. 10. 

The most up-to-date information about NPCC athletics can be found on the Knights Facebook and Twitter accounts and online at npccknights.com.