MCC Softball drops doubleheader to Northeastern JC in Region IX play

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. – The McCook Community College softball team dropped a pair of games to Northeastern Junior College Monday, losing 10-5 and 16-10. After losing Game 1, MCC held leads of 5-0 in the second inning and 8-4 after five innings before surrendering 12 runs over the final two innings.

"We battled the entire game and it was a tough one to lose," said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall of the Game 2 loss. "We were winning the entire game and battled back to try and tie it at the end."

NJC improves to 12-4 overall and 3-0 in Region IX

MCC falls to 1-12, and 0-3 in region play.

The two teams will wrap-up their five-game series Tuesday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. (CT).

For all the up-to-date information on MCC softball this season including up-to-date scheduling changes, statistics, rosters and photos, please visit the official website of MCC Athletics at mccindians.com

GAME 1 – Northeastern JC 10, McCook CC 5: NJC scored a pair of runs in the second and third innings and four in the fourth. MCC got its first run in the bottom of the second on a two-out walk and an RBI double by Graci Nelson (freshman, McCook).

Sophomore Hailee Ruble (Delta, Colo.) pitched the first 3.1 innings, allowing nine hits and five earned runs, walking two and striking out two. Freshman Isabella Robertson (Las Alamos, N.M.) pitched 3.2 innings, allowed three earned runs on seven hits.

MCC added a run in the fourth with leadoff singles by freshmen Andie Suhai (Medicine Hat, Alberta) and Ava Martinez (Houston, Texas) followed with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brylee Dean (freshman, Gering). Down 10-2 in the seventh, MCC scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh on a three-run home run by sophomore Madisyn Simms (Maple Ridge, British Columbia).

GAME 2 – Northeastern Junior College 16, McCook CC 10: MCC jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. With two out, Brylee Dean delivered a bases-loaded single to put MCC up 2-0 and that was followed by RBI-singles from Graci Nelson and Cassidy Fife (sophomore Provo, Utah). Sophomore Emma Pennala (Kennewick, Wash.) led off the MCC second with a walk and came home on an RBI-double by Nevaeh Ogden (Littleton Colo.) to put MCC up 5-0.

NJC came back in the third with three runs, but MCC took a 7-3 lead on the strength of a two-out, two run home by Hailee Ruble in the fourth inning.

The Plainswomen got one of those runs back in the fifth on a solo home run but MCC responded with a run in the bottom of the frame on consecutive two-out singles by freshman Ella Covill-Marter (Queensland, Australia), Pennala and Ogden to give MCC an 8-4 edge.

NJC struck for seven runs in the sixth to lead 11-8. MCC countered with a Madisyn Simms double and a two-run homerun from Andie Suhai to pull within 11-10, but the Plainswomen and added five more in the seventh.

Covill-Marter started the game in the circle for MCC and pitched 5.1 innings, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits. She walked four and struck out three. Ruble went the final 1.2 innings, surrendering four hits and five earned runs.

MCC outhit NJC 15-11, but MCC committed four errors. Ogden led MCC with three hits. Roble, Dean, Covill-Marter and Fife all had two-hit games.