MCC Softball loses twice in home-opening doubleheader against NJC

The McCook Community College played their first home games of the season Saturday and dropped both to Northeastern Junior College 14-7, 14-6.

NJC overcame a 5-2 deficit in Game 1 with six runs in the fourth inning and stretched an 8-7 lead with a run in the sixth and five in the seventh. The Plainswomen slugged to a 13-2 lead in the first three innings of Game 2 and ended the game in the fifth.

"In the first game we competed well early," said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall. "We just need to figure out how to play an entire seven innings collectively."

NJC sweeps the five-game season series 5-0 and improve to 14-4 overall.

MCC goes to 1-14 with the next game scheduled at home for March 25 against Luna Community College.

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 14, McCook CC 7: MCC opened the scoring in the first with a leadoff walk by Emma Pennala (Kennewick, Wash.) then back-to-back doubles by sophomores Nevaeh Ogden (Littleton Colo.) and Madisyn Simms (Maple Ridge, British Columbia) to put MCC up 2-0. Freshman Andie Suhai (Medicine Hat, Alberta) drove in Simms to make it a 3-0 lead.

After NJC cut the lead to 3-2 in the third with a pair of solo home runs, MCC scored two of their own in the bottom of the inning on a Suhai single and a pair of NJC miscues to give MCC a 5-2 lead.

The Plainswomen took an 8-5 lead with six runs in the fourth off freshman starting pitcher Ella Covill-Marter (Queensland, Australia) but MCC cut the gap to 8-7 with a pair of two out runs in the bottom of the inning. Suhai doubled in Pennala, who had singled to lead off the inning, and sophomore transfer Hailee Ruble (Delta, Colo.) delivered an RBI-single.

NJC added a run in the sixth then five in the seventh. Covill-Marter went 6.1 innings, allowed eight earned runs, on 10 hits, two walks and nine strikeouts. Ruble pitched the final two-thirds of an inning allowing one earned run on a walk and two hits.

MCC had nine hits in the game with three by Suhai.

GAME 2 – Northeastern JC 14, McCook CC 6: The Plainswomen took control of the game with three in the first, four more in the third and six runs in the third inning to put the game away in five innings.

"It's hard to come back against a good team when we get down that much that early," said Mendenhall. "Every time we made an error or had a mental mistake, NJC capitalized on it."

Down 3-0 in the first, MCC got a two-out double from Madisyn Simms and a two-run home run from Andie Suhai to cut the NJC lead to 3-2.

With NJC leading 13-2 in the bottom of the third, MCC got a lead-off walk from Nevaeh Ogden, a single from Simms and RBI singles by Suhai, sophomore Cassidy Fife (Provo, Utah), and freshman Kalyn Jackson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.).

MCC's final run came in the fifth on doubles by Suhai and Ava Martinez (Houston, Texas).

Isabella Robertson (Las Alamos, N.M.) pitched two innings for MCC, Hailee Ruble finished the game tossing three innings, allowing no earned runs on three hits and two strikeouts.

MCC had 11 hits in the game with three by Suhai, and two each from Simms, Martinez, Fife and Jackson.