Lady Indians sweep Northeast CC in Friday games

The McCook Community College softball team swept a pair of games Friday at home over Northeast Community College 10-2 and 13-4.

"We got two solid pitching performances today and we only allowed two earned runs," said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall.

Sophomore Ella Covill-Marter (Queensland, Australia) struck out 14 hitters in five innings of work in Game 1 and MCC scored 12 first-inning runs in Game 2 and went on to a 13-4 win.

"It was a challenging day to play because of the wind, but we did what we needed to do," said Mendenhall. "Everyone had an opportunity to play today."

MCC sent 18 batters to the plate in the first inning of Game 2 including 10 straight batters who reached base after two outs. Freshman Anna Elliott (Calgary, Alberta) hit a two-run home run and a two-run triple in the inning. Starting pitcher Sadie Kahl (Calgary, Alberta), picked up the win in a game shortened to five innings because of the eight-run rule and also had three hits at the plate.

These were the first games of the season for the Hawks. MCC goes to 6-2 on the seasons. These same two teams are right back at it Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. at the Jaycees Sports Complex.

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 – McCook CC 10, Northeast 2: Sophomore Brylee Dean (Gering) started off the MCC offense in the first with a two-out, two-run single.

The score remained 2-0 until the third when Dean delivered another, two-out single to put MCC up 3-0. Two batters later, freshman
Kendree Kern (LaSalle, Colo.) lined a two-run single to center field and a bases loaded walk with Laila Gutierrez (Seminole, Texas) at the plate to give the Lady Indians a 6-0 lead.

Northeast got their only two hits of the game in the fourth with a home run and a single to make it a 6-1 game.

The Lady Indians added two in the fourth on an RBI-double by freshman Lexi Knapp (Berthoud, Colo.) and an RBI-groundout with Rocio Mascorro (Brownsville, Texas) batting.

The Hawks scored a run on an error, a walk and a pickoff attempt at third base that hit the runner, who scored to make it an 8-2 game.

MCC ended the game on the eight-run rule in the bottom of the fifth with singles by Laila Gutierrez (freshman, Seminole, Texas), Kalyn Jackson (sophomore, Highlands Ranch, Colo.), and freshman Sadie Kahl (Calgary, Alberta).

Covill-Marter recorded 14 of MCC's 15 defensive outs with strikeouts. She allowed one earned run, two hits and walked three.

Eleven of the 12 MCC players who batted recorded hits. Dean and Knapp had the only two-hit games.

GAME 2 – McCook CC 13, Northeast CC 4: Sadie Kahl hit an RBI double to start the scoring, Brylee Dean singled her in and Anna Elliot made it a 4-0 game with a two run homer. After four straight walks, Angela Banzet (Surrey, British Columbia) drove in three more with a two-out single. Kahl later hit her second double of the inning and Elliott tripled in two more to put MCC up 12-0.

Kahl got the start in the pitching circle and held the Hawks scoreless until they scored four runs in the third inning.

"We do need to do a better job of making adjustments hitting throughout each of the games," said Mendenhall.

MCC scored its final run in the fourth inning. Sophomore Kalyn Jackson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) led the inning off with a single and she scored on a double by Banzet.

Kahl got the complete-game win allowing two earned runs and four hits in five innings. She walked two and struck out eight.

MCC had 10 hits in the game with three by Kahl and two each by Elliott and Banzet.