Veteran WNC softball squad gets started

The most veteran-laden squad in Western Nevada College softball program history enters the fall with the confidence and experience to produce success.

With 15 players returning from last year’s team who won a team-record 23 games, the Wildcats begin the fall scrimmage season with a lineup capable of competing against the best the Scenic West Athletic Conference has to offer.

To improve between now and the start of the regular season in January, the Wildcats are scrimmaging up to seven teams over the next two months.

“I’m really proud of what I saw out of them last year ... the heart that they showed in every game,” said WNC softball coach Leah Wentworth. “They were always fighting to the end. They got a lot of people’s attention last year and we’re hoping to build on that.”

Fall ball launches with intrasquad scrimmages next week at Edmonds Sports Complex in Carson City. Games are set for 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24 and 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25 and Wednesday, Aug. 26.

In addition, the Wildcats will scrimmage the Nevada Lightning 18 and under team on Sept. 13 and Shasta College on Sept. 20. Those doubleheaders at Edmonds start at 10 and 11:30 a.m., respectively.

Wentworth said the team also is planning a home-and-away series with Feather River College, as well as possible road games with Shasta, College of the Siskiyous, Lassen Community College and Butte College.

On Fridays when an opponent isn’t scheduled, the Wildcats are going to play intrasquad games, Wentworth said.

“We’re excited to have enough girls to do a lot of intrasquading,” Wentworth said. “Every year it is back to the drawing board, trying to become more efficient with what we do and getting more done in same amount of time. We try to get as much as we can out of them in the time that we have them.”