The Western Nebraska Community College baseball and softball team had to change their schedules this weekend.

                The Cougar men will still open the Region IX Empire Conference play against Otero College but the games will take place Sunday and Monday, March 5 and 6 in La Junta, Colorado. The games were originally scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

                The softball team also had a schedule change. The Cougars were slated to compete in a 3-day Region IX Pod play in Lamar Community College Thursday through Saturday. With those games being canceled, WNCC is now playing a 4-game series against Highland Community College in Highland, Kansas, Saturday and Sunday.

                The other change for the Cougar women involves their opening home games that were slated for March 10-12. Because of the projected forecast of snow later next week, the games have been shifted. Saturday and Sunday, WNCC will travel to Lamar for two games on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. The other two games of the 5-game series against the Lopes will be played Sunday, March 19 at Volunteer Field.

                And, once again, the Cougar men will be at home Saturday for their first-round Region IX playoff game against North Platte Community College. That game is slated for a 2 p.m. start with the winner advancing to the Region IX men’s basketball tournament March 9-11 in Casper, Wyoming.