Lady Indians split doubleheader with Central CC

The McCook Community College softball team opened Nebraska conference play Wednesday splitting a pair of games against Central Community College. The Raiders won the first game 9-6 and the Lady Indians took the second game 20-14.

"The first game we had some great at bats," said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall. "A lot of girls got playing time and did a great job, but we couldn't get the clutch hits when needed."

In Game 2 MCC came back from a 7-4 deficit and scored eight runs in the fourth inning in a game where each team had 20 hits.

"Game 2 was a grind. I told the girls today would be a grind," said Mendenhall. "We played six games in three days and really hit the ball up and down the lineup."

The Lady Indians go to 29-9 overall, and 1-1 in the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference. MCC's remaining games in the eight-game NCCAC schedule includes a pair of games April 17 at home against Southeast Community College and road games at Beatrice April 23 against Southeast and at Columbus April 24 against Central CC.

MCC returns to Region IX play this weekend with a pair of games in Trinidad Saturday and Sunday. Trinidad is first place in the standings at 13-3 (27-12 overall). MCC is in a tie for second place at 10-6 with Northeastern Junior College. Otero is a few percentage points out of second place at 12-8.

The final Region IX series takes place April 19-21 against Western Nebraska. MCC hosts the Cougars for two games April 19 starting at 2 p.m. and at Scottsbluff April 21.

All the latest information MCC softball including up-to-date schedule and changes as well as statistics, rosters and photos can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com

GAME 1 – Central CC 9, McCook 6: Central scored in the first on a dropped third strike, an error and a passed ball and added a run in the second on a leadoff home run.

MCC got a run back in the third on a single by Laila Gutierrez (freshman, Seminole, Texas) and a double by Anna Elliott (freshman, Calgary, Alberta). The Lady Indians tied the game 2-2 in the fourth inning. Sophomore Ava Martinez (Houston, Texas) led off the inning with a single and with two outs Kaylee Smith (freshman, Calgary, Alberta) singled and freshman Alexa Mendoza (Houston, Texas) hit an RBI-single to knot the game.

The Raiders got a two-out home run in the fifth to lead 3-2 and added three more in the sixth to go up 6-2 but a couple Central CC errors in the bottom of the inning helped MCC score two runs to cut the deficit to 6-4.

Central went up 9-4 in the seventh on a three-run home run.

Martinez led off the MCC seventh reaching on an error and freshman Haylee Anguiano (Abilene, Kan.) followed with a single. Smith drove home a run and the final run scored on a fielder's choice with Gutierrez batting.

Freshman Lexi Knapp (Berthoud, Colo.) pitched seven innings, allowing 10 hits and eight earned runs on a pair of walks and nine strikeouts.

MCC had 13 hits with two each by Martinez, Anguiano, Smith and Mendoza.

GAME 2 – McCook CC 20, Central CC 14: Central scored four runs in the first but MCC responded with three in the bottom of the inning on a Laila Gutierrez leadoff single, an RBI-double by Andie Suhai (sophomore, Medicine Hat, Alberta), a two-out two-run double by freshman Rocio Mascorro (Brownsville, Texas) and a bases-loaded walk.

The Raiders took a 7-3 lead in the second. MCC got a run back on a leadoff single by Kendree Kern (freshman, LaSalle, Colo.) and a two-out single by Angela Banzet (freshman, Surrey, British Columbia).

CCC got a solo homer in the third but the Lady Indians scored twice in the bottom half inning on a pair of walks and a two-run double by Brylee Dean (sophomore, Gering) to pull MCC within 8-6.

MCC starting pitcher Sadie Kahl (Calgary, Alberta) pitched a scoreless fourth, her final inning of the game. She allowed 12 hits and four earned runs in her four innings of work with no walks and three strikeouts.

The Lady Indians erupted for eight runs in the fourth, tying the score on a two-run Suhai double, taking the lead on a double by Mascorro, scoring three runs on two Central errors, a two-run double by Gutierrez and a single by Banzet to put MCC ahead 14-8.

Central came back with five runs on a pair of home runs off reliever Ella Covill-Marter (sophomore, Queensland, Australia) to pull within 14-13. Anna Elliott hit a solo home run in the bottom of the inning to put MCC up 15-13.

Covill-Marter pitched a scoreless sixth and MCC put the game away with five runs in the bottom of the inning – all with two outs. Suhai and Lexi Knapp hit singles to start the rally, Mascorro singled in Suhai, Elliott smacked a two-run double and Kern doubled in two more giving the Lady Indians a 20-13 lead. Central added a run in the seventh.

Covill picked up the win in relief allowing eight hits, one walk and seven strikeouts in three innings worked.

Both teams had 20 hits. Suhai led the way with four for MCC. Banzet, Kern and Mascorro all hit three hits with Mascorro driving in three runs and Elliot driving in four.