Hawks take two from Knights

The North Platte Community College softball team dropped a pair of games to Northeast Community College in Norfolk on Friday. The Knights fell the opening game of the doubleheader 13-5, before suffering heartbreak on a walk-off single in the second game, 12-11. 

"We played better and battled today, just ran out of steam at the end," said Janelle Higgins, NPCC head women's softball coach. "It's not about the start of the season. It's about how we end. We are young, but we are learning and improving every game, and that's all we can ask for from our kids." 

In the first game, the Knights led 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning until a grand slam pushed Northeast into the lead. The Knights were unable to erase the deficit in the final inning, as the Hawks took game one. 

Angelina Lockhart lasted five and two-thirds innings, allowing nine hits and 12 runs while striking out one. 

The Knights fell to Northeast in the second game of the doubleheader, as the Hawks erased the two-run deficit and sealed the sweep on a walk-off single. 

In game two, the Knights fell behind early as the Hawks added four runs in the bottom of the first inning. North Platte responded with five runs in the top of the second inning. 

Jayden Horner opened the inning with a leadoff double, before eventually coming around to score on an Esper Lewandowski groundout. Knights kept their momentum going as they tacked on four more runs, including the go-ahead run as Kendall Hufford beat the throw from center field. 

North Platte added three runs in the top of the fourth inning, but Northeast responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. The Hawks retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, as a homerun gave Northeast the slight 9-8 advantage.   

The Knights rallied in the top of the seventh inning and recaptured the lead, as a Hufford single scored Lockhart and Elena Montoya. Trailing by two runs, Northeast responded in the bottom of the frame and tied the game up at 11-11, before a single to right field plated the game winning run. 

Taelyn Dakamas, went six and two-thirds innings in the circle in game two, allowing 12 runs on 13 hits and striking out one. 

With the doubleheader loss, North Platte falls to 0-6 on the season. 

"We are playing catch up to teams," said Higgins. "NECC is 14 games into their season, compared to our six games as we have had 10 postponed or canceled already this spring." 

North Platte was supposed to play Northeast again on Saturday, but those games have also been postponed due to weather. That means the Knights won't play again until next week. 

They will host their first home game of the season Wednesday with a doubleheader against Hastings College beginning at 4 p.m. at Dowhower Softball Complex. 

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