MCC Softball loses pair of close games to open season

LIBERAL, Kan. – The McCook Community College softball team open the season up Thursday with a pair of narrow losses.

MCC fell to Seward County Community College 12-10 in eight innings in Game 1 and 11-10 in Game 2.

The Lady Indians had a 7-1 lead in the first game before the Lady Saints scored four runs in the fifth inning, two runs in the seventh and a walk-off homer in the eighth.

MCC had a 5-2 lead in the second game and came back to tie the game at 8-8 in the sixth inning, before gave up three runs in the bottom of the inning. The Lady Indians scored a pair of runs in the seventh but left the tying run on second base.

Sophomore Andie Suhai (Medicine Hat, Alberta) hit the first pitch she saw this season for a two-out solo home run in Game 1.

Three freshmen powered the offense with 10 hits in the first game in addition to a grand slam and freshman had 13 of MCC's 14 hits in the second game.

Seward County goes to 2-0 on the season.

MCC 0-2 will travel to Garden City (0-4) Friday for a pair of games starting at 1 p.m.

All the latest information MCC softball including up-to-date schedule and changes as well as statistics, rosters and photos can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com

GAME 1 – Seward County CC 12, McCook CC 10: After the first inning-home run by Suhai, Seward County tied the game 1-1 with a solo homer in the bottom of the second.

Freshman Anna Elliott (Calgary, Alberta) put MCC up 5-1 with a third-inning grand slam. The Saints put a pair of runners on base in the fourth with one out but MCC's defense got a groundball doubleplay to end the threat.

In the top of the fifth with two outs, MCC got back-to-back doubles from sophomore Graci Nelson (McCook) and Ayana Goodwin (Broomfield, Colo.) and a Seward County error to give the Lady Indians a 7-1 lead.

Seward County got a two-run home run in the fifth to cut the MCC lead to 7-4. Lady Saint Anberlin O'Dell hit a two-out, two-run homer in the seventh to send the game into an extra inning and she hit a three-run walk-off homer to end the game in the eighth inning.

MCC scored three times in the top of the eight inning. Suhai drove in the first run of the inning on a single and scored on a Lady Saint error. A bases-loaded walk with Kaylyn Jackson at the plate put MCC up 10-7. A line-drive double play ended the inning.

Sophomore Ella Covill-Marter (Queensland, Australia) went the distance pitching 7.2 innings, allowing 12 hits and seven earned runs on five walks and 11 strikeouts.

MCC had 16 hits in the game with freshman Lexi Knapp (Berthoud, Colo.) making her collegiate debut with a four-for-four game and a walk in her other plate appearance. Elliott and Goodwin each had three hits and Suhai and Nelson had two apiece.

GAME 2 – Seward County CC 12, McCook CC 11: MCC scored a pair of runs in the first on a leadoff single by freshman Laila Gutierrez (Seminole, Texas), who scored on an error and an RBI single by Knapp.

After the Lady Saints tied the game on a two-out homer in the bottom of the first MCC took a 5-2 lead in the second with singles from Rocio Mascorro (freshman, Brownsville, Texas) and freshman Angela Banzet (Surrey, British Columbia), a two-run Gutierrez double and an error.

Seward County scored four times in the third and took an 8-5 lead with two runs in the fifth. Knapp started in the circle for MCC and went 4.1 innings, walking six, allowing five hits and striking out two.

Trailing 8-5 in the sixth, MCC scored three times with two outs to tie the game. Gutierrez started the rally with a double, Goodwin singled her home, Suhai doubled Goodwin home and Elliott tied the game 8-8 with an RBI-single.

SCCC scored three times in the bottom of the sixth off reliever Sadie Kahl (Calgary, Alberta). She pitched 1.2 innings and allowed two earned runs.

In the seventh, MCC rallied from 11-8 down to scratch across two runs on a pair of hit batters, a single and a couple passed balls, but left the tying run at second base.

MCC had 14 hits in the game with four by Guiterrez, three by Banzet and two from Goodwin and Mascorro.