MCC Softball to open season Thursday

The McCook Community College softball team starts play Thursday in Liberal, Kan. when they take on Seward County Community College at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. (These games were moved up two days over the original schedule beacuse of weather concerns).

On Friday the Lady Indians travel to Garden City Friday as scheduled for games at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. these are the first of six road games in Kansas before the home opener Feb. 21 against Colby Community College.

MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall is relying on key returners, 11 newcomers and a team that will pride itself on pitching and defense and a lot of speed.

"We are going to be a very fast team," said Mendenhall.

The coach said his team relied heavily on pitching and defense in the fall. At the plate he and Assistant Coach Rachel Conroy want to take advantage of team speed.

"We'll play some small ball when we need to, but we have some girls with some pop too," said Mendenhall.

He said the 2024 version of the Lady Indians will be a running team, looking for stolen bases, putting runners in motion and applying pressure on the opposing defense.

"We just want consistency at plate, we don't want a ton of strikeouts – nobody does – and there's value with a team like ours in just putting the ball in play and making the defense make a play," said Mendenhall.

LAST SEASON

The Lady Indians are coming off a 28-27 regular season last year.

After starting the season 0-9, MCC battled back to finished third in Region IX. At the post-season tournament, MCC beat sixth seeded Western Nebraska 4-1 and second-seeded Trinidad State 3-2. Against top-seeded Northeastern Junior College, MCC led 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning when the game was suspended one day because of weather. The next day, NJC scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to claim a 6-5 win.

That setback sent MCC to the consolation round of the double-elimination bracket where they lost to Trinidad State. MCC finished the year at 31-28.

THIS SEASON

"This is a good group of girls academically and athletically and starting to mesh well – even with our unpredictable weather and limited opportunities to get outside, but I'm excited for this group of girls," said Mendenhall. "I think they want it bad enough that they are going to work hard."

MCC has two returners who were named to the all-Region IX Division 1 team in pitcher Ella Covill-Marter (Queensland, Australia) and infielder Andie Suhai (Medicine Hat, Alberta).

Covill-Marter led the pitching staff going 12-10 with 20 complete games. In 174 innings pitched she struck out 235 hitters, which was ninth best in the country among 494 pitchers at 147 division 1 schools. At the plate she batted .333 with six steals and 25 runs scored.

"She'll have a heavy innings load again this year being our top pitcher and hopefully we can sneak her bat into the lineup," said Mendenhall.

Suhai, primarily at third base, led the team with 12 home runs, batting .454, reaching base 52 percent of her plate appearances and an .839 slugging percentage.

"I'm really excited for her, she'll play shortstop and hit in the middle of the lineup," said Mendenhall.

The other returners are Graci Nelson, Brylee Dean, Kaylyn Jackson and Ava Martinez.

Nelson, the McCook High School grad, returns at the catcher position. She appeared in 48 games, batting .257 with 20 RBIs.

"Graci is our number one catcher. She does a great job behind the plate and with her communication and leadership. She always has a positive mind-set," said Mendenhall. "We're hoping she can get her offense going more this year."

Dean, (Gering) appeared in 43 games, batting .228 with 17 RBIs.

"She got some time in the lineup last year and has the tools to be very good. She had a spectacular fall for us and will play the outfield," said Mendenhall. "We're looking for her to help out in middle of the lineup and give us some big numbers from the power perspective," said Mendenhall.

Jackson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) appeared in 35 games batting .192 in 78 at bats.

"She wasn't an every-day stater and plays first base but will have an opportunity to play a lot of games because she's really turned it up offensively," said Mendenhall.

At first base Martinez (Houston, Texas) hit .263 in 95 at bats.

"Ava took the fall semester off with some medical issues," said Mendenhall. "She needs to be a little more consistent at the plate so after she gets her reps in, hopefully she can produce again for us."

PITCHING

While Covill-Marter is the only returning pitcher Mendenhall and Conroy – who works with the pitchers – are also excited about incoming freshman hurlers Lexi Knapp (Berthoud, Colo.) and recent addition, Sadie Kahl (Calgary Alberta), who transferred this semester from Bellevue College in Washington.

"I'm excited about Ella after her freshman year and we have a pretty solid number two in Lexi Knapp," said Mendenhall. "I actually coached against her in high school and watched her pitch for four years and she's a bulldog and gave us a spectacular fall as well."

Knapp is also expected to get some time in the DP role and possibly some first base time.

Kahl joined the team in mid-January. Mendenhall said she knew some of the other Canadian players with MCC who reached out to her and encouraged her to come to McCook.

"I think she's going to be a force too," said Mendenhall. "She has the tools and is 5-11and I think she can give us some at bats as well."

CATCHING

Several players are expected to back up Nelson at catcher including freshman Alex Mendoza, (Houston, Texas).

"She'll get to catch quite a few games," said Mendenhall. "She's still getting a feel for the college game and how fast it is. She started off a little rough but has come a long way since arriving."

Freshman Laila Gutierrez (Seminole, Texas) is a utility player who has catching experience and can play third base. She also looks to be the top backup at shortstop and also plays the outfield.

"She's pretty good defensively at those positions," said Mendenhall. "Right now it's looking like more right-side infield but if we need her behind the plate she's pretty good there as well and she's got some pop in her bat and speed and likely a top of the lineup player."

INFIELD

Freshman Kendree Kern (LaSalle, Colo.) is another candidate at third base.

"She's a workhorse. I coached against her at University High School and have known her a little bit – didn't necessarily like having to coach against her but I love that that she's on our team now."

At second base Ayana Goodwin (freshman, Broomfield, Colo.) has emerged as the likely starter to begin the season. She can also give the Lady Indians some innings in the pitching circle.

"She has some speed, a great work ethic and very good defensively," said Mendenhall.

At first base, in addition to Martinez and Jackson, freshman Rocio Mascorro (Brownsville, Texas) is a late addition to the team.

"I'm pleased how she has transitioned into the college game," said Mendenhall. "She is fast and has some pop in her bat, so we're going to have a lot of different athletes at first base fighting for at bats."

OUTFIELD

Dean will get the nod in leftfield to start the season, but freshman Kaylee Smith (Calgary, Alberta) has impressed the coach with how far she has progressed with her bat since arriving on campus.

"She has some pop in her bat, so she definitely has a chance if she puts up some numbers to be out there," said Mendenhall.

In centerfield Angela Banzet (freshman, Surrey, British Columbia) a right-handed thrower and lefty slapper with good speed.

"She is so good in the outfield and can track down balls and has really solid fundamentals," said Mendenhall. "Offensively we're trying to refine her placement and incorporate a little more power slap, but it will be hard for anyone to overtake her in centerfield."

In rightfield, freshman Anna Elliott (Calgary, Alberta) has earned the season-opening start, according to her coach.

"She's fast, she works incredibly hard, is very good defensively and her hitting is coming around," said Mendenhall. "She had a pretty good fall and we're still trying to work on the small game with her because she is so fast."

Haylee Anguiano (freshman, Abilene, Kan.) is another utility player who is exceptionally fast. She played shortstop in high school but all-region player Suhai occupies that position at MCC.

"We're just trying to find Haylee a position, but she'll have some opportunities at second base and outfield. Her focus is on hitting more consistently where she has made some improvement there," said Mendenhall.

CAPTAINS

Four sophomores were named captains: Brylee Dean, Andie Suhai, Graci Nelson and Ella Covill-Marter.

"They were elected captain and get a lot of respect from the girls and they obviously have different personalities and lead in different ways," which is nice.

REGION IX

One change to the Region IX schedule this year is that the early-season round-robin POD tournament has been eliminated. All seven division one teams will play four games against each opponent. Teams include (Lamar, Luna, MCC, Northeastern Junior College, Otero, Trinidad State and Western Nebraska).

Mendenhall said he expects last year's top two seeds – NJC and Trinidad – to be strong again this season. However, there are coaching changes at the other schools.

"With so many new coaches the whole dynamic of our region might change a little," said Mendenhall. "But we have the opportunity to be pretty good this year and be in the mix and if we can stay healthy, we can have a solid year."

THE SCHEDULE

The season starts with six games in Kansas starting Friday at Garden City and continues Saturday at Seward County and Feb. 15 at Colby. MCC's first scheduled home game is Feb. 21 against Colby starting at 1 p.m. at the Jaycee Sports Complex.

Region IX play starts March 8 at home against Northeastern Junior College at 2 p.m. Those two teams play two days later at Sterling, Colo. MCC also has a home-and-away series to end the Region IX season at home April 19 against Western Nebraska and at Scottsbluff April 21.

All other Region IX games are four-game series at one location. MCC will host Otero, March 28-29 and Lamar April 6-7. The Lady Indians travel to Luna, N.M., March 16-17, and to Trinidad, Colo., April 13-14.

MCC also competes in the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference hosting NCCAC doubleheaders against North Platte March 25, Central Community College April 10 and Southeast Community College April 17. The Lady Indians travel to Southeast Community College March 20, at Central Community College March 22 and at North Platte April 3.