McCook, Neb. – The Southeast Community College softball team was victorious in their first game of the Region 9 tournament on Friday after they defeated Northeast Junior College 5-4 in a nail biter.

The Bobcats opened the scoring in the first inning after Lexi Paskach hit a home run to left field.

The second and third innings saw each team strand a handful of runners. Kinsley Mohan threw a pair of strikeouts in the top of the second. The Plainswomen had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the third, but couldn't bring them home.

Two walks opened the top of the fourth inning, and an NJC double brought in two runs to take the lead. An error by Brett Young sent another runner home, making it a 3-1 game in the Plainswomen's favor.

In the bottom of the fourth, an NJC error put Seinna McEntire on base with only one out. Vanessa Butler followed it up with a single, and Bri Houchin hit them both in with a double to tie the game at 3 apiece. Tatum Heimerman then hit a single to plate Brittney Isbell, who was pinch running for Houchin, taking back the lead for SCC.

The top of the sixth inning started with a Plainswoman home run to tie it up at 4-4, but did no more damage with three fly outs and a runner left stranded.

Isbell opened the bottom of the sixth with a single, and Gracie Moe hit a double deep into center field to bring her all the way around the bases and score the winning run, 5-4.

The Bobcats had 11 hits and one error against NJC's six hits and two errors. Moe and McEntire each accounted for two hits, and Heimerman, Moe, and Paskach each recorded an RBI, while Bri Houchin batted in two.

Kinsley Mohan pitched the full game. She faced 34 batters and struck out six while only allowing three earned runs.

SCC advances to play the winner of No. 1 seed McCook and No. 4 seed Western Community College on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Mountain time.