MCC Softball splits Sunday doubleheader against Trinidad State

The McCook Community College softball team split another doubleheader with Trinidad State Sunday at home winning the first game 4-3 and losing the second game 7-6.

The first-place Trojans came into the weekend series leading Region IX with a 20-1 record against Region IX opponents, but MCC was able to win two of the five games in the series.

"We showed a lot of toughness and grit today," said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall. "I couldn't be more proud of these girls. We competed until the last pitch, which says a lot about our team."

On Sunday, MCC starting pitcher Ella Covill-Marter (Queensland, Australia) picked up her second win over Trinidad State on consecutive days striking out 13 hitters as MCC scored a pair of runs in the second and fifth innings to hold off the Trojans.

"Ella threw another gem." said Mendenhall of the pitcher who threw a one-hit shutout and struck out 14 hitters in Game 1 Saturday.

In Game 2, Trinidad started the game off with back-to-back solo home runs, took leads of 4-1 and 6-4 and held on to win the game and take the series 3-2.

Trinidad goes to 22-3 in the Region IX standings and 32-9 overall.

MCC goes to 13-11 in the region and 21-25 overall.

The team will travel to Columbus Wednesday for a pair of Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference games against Central Community College. On Friday MCC wraps up the NCCAC schedule with two games against North Platte starting at 2 p.m. This is the annual Purple-Out game to help raise money and awareness for epilepsy. MCC will wrap up the Region IX slate with a five-game home set against Western Nebraska starting at noon Saturday.

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 – McCook CC 4, Trinidad State 3: Trinidad State took a 2-0 lead with back-to-back two-out solo home runs in the first inning off MCC starting pitcher Ella Covill-Marter (Queensland, Australia).

MCC tied the game in the second on back-to-back leadoff singles by sophomores Emma Pennala (Kennewick, Wash.) and Cassidy Fife (Provo, Utah) then walks by freshman Brylee Dean (Gering) and Katie Taylor (McCook). Sophomore Nevaeh Ogden (Littleton Colo.) delivered an RBI-single to make it a 2-2 game.

In the fifth inning Andie Suhai (Medicine Hat, Alberta) got a one-out single and with two outs, Fife singled in Suhai to put MCC up 3-2 and Dean followed with an RBI single to make it a 4-2 game.

The Lady Trojans got a two-out single in the sixth to cut the margin to 4-3.

Covill-Marter came on to strike out the side in the seventh to pick up her second win of the series. She allowed five hits, walked one and struck out 13.

MCC had eight hits in the game with two each by Ogden and Fife.

GAME 2 – Trinidad State JC 7, McCook CC 6: After the Lady Trojans hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the first inning, MCC came back with a run in the second. A Cassidy Fife single, a walk and an error load the bases and Fife scored on a pickoff play at first base.

Trinidad State took a 4-1 lead in the third with a single and a home run and MCC responded with a run in the bottom of the inning on a double by sophomore Madisyn Simms (Maple Ridge, British Columbia), and a two-out single by sophomore Hailee Ruble (Delta, Colo.).

The Trojans scored twice on a two-run home run in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead. Isabella Robertson (Las Alamos, N.M.) started in the pitching circle for MCC and went three innings, allowing eight hits, six earned runs, two walks and four strikeouts.

MCC came back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff double by Brylee Dean, a two-out RBI single by freshman Graci Nelson (McCook) and a Lady Trojan error and a Simms double to make it a 6-4 game.

The Lady Trojans manufactured a run in the sixth on a one-out walk, a stolen base, a passed ball and an RBI-groundout to lead 7-4.

In the MCC sixth, with two outs Simms lashed a triple to center field and Andie Suhai powered a home run to left to put MCC a run back at 7-6.

MCC brought the winning run to the plate after a one out walk but Trinidad State closed the door inducing a flyout and a groundout to end the game.

Ruble pitched the final four innings of the game, allowing one unearned run, one hit, two walks and she struck out four.

"Hailee came in and shut them down," said Mendenhall. "She gave us a chance to win."

MCC had 10 hits in the game with three by Simms and two each by Ruble and Dean.