Knights fall to Central in Columbus

The North Platte Community College softball team dropped a doubleheader to Central Community College Monday afternoon in Columbus. 

A late score cost North Platte its first game. 

Jenny Singer started things out for the Knights. The righty allowed two hits and two runs over four innings, striking out four. Angelina Lockhart threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen. 

Lockhart, Jayden Horner and Esper Lewandowski each collected one hit to lead the Knights. North Platte scored a run on an error in the top of the fifth inning. 

The game was tied at two with Central batting in the bottom of the sixth when the Raiders drew a walk, scoring one run. They ultimately pulled away in a 7-2 victory. 

Central ran away with an early lead in the second game, leaving the Knights unable to recover in an 11-3 loss. 

Taelyn Dakamas toed the rubber for North Platte. She went five innings, allowing 10 runs on seven hits and striking out four. Elena Montoya led with two hits in three at bats.

 "We got a dose of Nebraska weather, playing yesterday in the 70s and today in the low 30s with 25 mph wind." said Janelle Higgins, NPCC head women's softball coach. "The girls played hard, just had a few innings that we lost our focus, but we are limiting those and learning. We are getting better every day and just have to continue to grind away. It's never how you start that matters. It's how you end, so we will get there. Just have to have patience." 

The Knights are now 1-9 on the season. 

They are up next in Creston, Iowa. North Platte will take on Southwestern Community College in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Wednesday. 

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