Lady Indians sweep Trinidad to open region

TRINIDAD, Colo. – The McCook Community College softball team hit eight home runs in a doubleheader sweep over Trinidad State College Saturday to begin Region IX play. MCC won 11-0 and 20-3 with both games shortened to five innings because of the eight-run rule.

“We had incredible energy today – the best energy,” said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall. “We had the momentum from the first inning on.”

The Lady Indians got three home runs in the first inning of Game 1 to set the stage for a strong start to the Region IX schedule. Sophomore Paige Warren (Victoria, British Columbia) led off the game with a solo shot, sophomore transfer Marleigh Mitchell (Mission, British Columbia) and later sophomore Kashlin Beck (Claflin, Kan.) both powered first-inning, two-run homers to break out early.

“We had a ton of offense today, hitting eight bombs and six doubles,” said Mendenhall. “Our pitchers did a very nice job competing in the zone and our defense was good.”

Warren hit two homers and pitched a shutout in Game 1 and homered again in Game 2.

Freshman Josie Wright (Calgary, Alberta) hit a homer and drove in five runs in Game 2 with the Lady Indians also getting longballs from freshman Lyndsay Keogh (Surrey, British Columbia) and sophomore Audrey Reeves (Sterling, Colo.) to lead the 19-hit MCC attack.  

“This was a great start to region play,” said Mendenhall.

The Trojans fall to 2-14 on the season and 0-2 in Region IX play.

MCC improves to 13-3 and 2-0 in the region. The two teams play two more games Sunday starting at noon.

GAME 1 – McCook CC 11, Trinidad State 0 (5 innings): Paige Warren started the game with a solo homer and the Lady Indians also got two-out, two-run homers from Marleigh Mitchell and Kashlin Beck to put MCC up 5-0.

Warren hit a two-run homer in the fourth followed by a two-run RBI-single from freshman Lyndsay Keogh (Surrey, British Columbia) and an RBI-double by Mitchell to make it a 10-0 MCC lead.

The Lady Indians added the final run in the fifth inning on a leadoff single by freshman Brooklyn Gillen (McCook), a single by Warren and an RBI-groundout by Josie Wright (freshman, Calgary, Alberta) for the final margin of victory.

Warren picked up the win allowing three hits on one walk and six strikeouts.

MCC had 12 hits in the game led by three by Warren and two each by Mitchell and Keogh.

GAME 2 – McCook CC 20, Trinidad State 3 (5 innings): The Lady Indians scored twice in the first inning, six times in the second, once in the third and 11 times in the fourth inning.

 Leading 8-0, Josie Wright led off the MCC third with a solo homer.

Freshman Hannah Schneider (Alliance, Neb.) pitched the first three innings for MCC allowing four hits and two earned runs on a hit and four strikeouts.

Lyndsay Keogh, Audrey Reeves and Paige Warren all hit bombs in the 11-run fourth inning.

Sophomore Olivia Moorhead (Hershey, Neb.) pitched the final two innings, allowing two hits, one earned run and one walk.

MCC got three-hit games from Warren, Wright, Keogh, Hayley Smith (freshman, Chestermere, Alberta), and

Brooklyn Gillen. Keogh had seven total bases, Wright and Warren six each. Wright drove in five, warren four and Keogh three.

Up-to-date information about MCC  softball including up-to-date schedule and changes, livestream links for home games, rosters, photos, statistics and more can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com