MCC Softball splits Saturday doubleheader with Western Nebraska

SCOTTSBLUFF – The McCook Community College softball team split a pair of games with Western Nebraska Saturday, winning the first game 11-4 and losing the second game 11-4.

"We competed the first game and put some runs up late and we didn't look the like same team in the second game," said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall.

MCC broke up a 4-4 time in Game 1 with seven seventh inning runs to win 11-4. In Game 2, the Cougars scored six times in the second and took advantage of five MCC errors.

Western Nebraska goes to 10-31 and 10-17 in Region IX play.

MCC goes to 25-27 and 14-12 in Region IX play. The two teams play another doubleheader Sunday starting at 1 p.m.

"We need to put the pieces together before the post season," said Mendenhall. "Hopefully a good night's rest and we can get after it Sunday."

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 11, Western Nebraska 4: Down 1-0 in the fourth, MCC put a run on the board with three straight hits including a leadoff single by Andie Suhai (Medicine Hat, Alberta), a double by Hailee Ruble (Delta, Colo.) and an RBI-single by Emma Pennala (Kennewick, Wash.).

Western took a 2-1 lead with a run in the fifth but MCC responded with three runs in the sixth. After a Cougar error put Pennala on first base, after two outs MCC got a single by Ella Covill-Marter (Queensland, Australia) and a double by Graci Nelson (McCook) to tie the game 2-2. Madisyn Simms (Maple Ridge, British Columbia) singled in Covill-Marter and Nelson to put MCC up 4-2. Western tied the game with two runs in the sixth.

Ruble led off the seventh with a single, Pennala reached on an error and sophomore Cassidy Fife (Provo, Utah) bunted both runners up a base. Freshman Brylee Dean (Gering) broke the tie with an RBI-single. Covill-Marter walked with the bases loaded to put MCC up 6-4, Nelson doubled home Dean, Nevaeh Ogden (Littleton Colo.) singled in a run and Simms put the game out of reach with a three-run home run.

Covill-Marter picked up the complete-game win allowing four earned runs and seven hits in seven innings. She walked two and struck out five.

MCC outhit Western Nebraska 15-7. Simms led MCC with three hits and five RBIs. MCC had two-hit games by Ogden, Suhai, Ruble, Covill-Marter and Nelson.

GAME 2 – Western Nebraska 11, McCook CC 4: MCC got a run in the first on an RBI-single by Andy Suhai. She delivered a two-out RBI-single in the second to put MCC up 2-0.

Western Nebraska scored six runs in the second to lead 6-2.

Emma Pennala singled to lead off the third and scored on an RBI-groundout by Brylee Dean. Western Nebraska scored twice in the bottom of the third to lead 8-2.

Suhai singled home Nevaeh Ogden in the fourth to make it an 8-4 game but the Cougars scored again in the bottom of the frame to lead 9-4 and scored twice in the sixth inning.

Hailee Ruble pitched six innings for MCC, allowing 12 hits and five earned runs to go with two walks and two strikeouts. The defense committed five errors.

MCC had 10 hits with four from Suhai and three from Pennala.