NJC stops Lady Indian win streak with Monday sweep

Northeastern Junior College snapped McCook Community College's 16-game win streak Monday with a 2-1, 6-3 sweep in the opening game of Region IX, division 1 softball play.

"We didn't look comfortable in the box today," said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall. "Their pitchers competed in the zone, we just couldn't string anything together." 

NJC broke out on top of the first innings of both games and never trailed.

"I think the nerves got to us," said Mendenhall.

The Plainswomen scored a pair of unearned runs in the first inning of Game 1 without the benefit of a hit and made the lead stand.

"We hit 11 weak fly balls in the first game," said Mendenhall.  

In Game 2, NJC broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning with two runs then added two unearned runs in the seventh.

MCC only had two errors on the afternoon but they led to four of the eight runs NJC scored on the afternoon.

"Our pitchers threw well enough to win both games," said Mendenhall.

Northeastern goes to 8-11 on the season and 2-0 in the region.

The Lady Indians go to 16-4, and 0-2. MCC will be home for a pair of games Tuesday starting at 2 p.m. against the Hastings College JV.

GAME 1 – Northeastern JC 2, McCook CC 1: Northeastern Junior College scored two runs without a hit in the first inning on a leadoff walk, an error, a sacrifice bunt, a sacrifice fly and a passed ball.

Freshman Anna Elliott (Calgary, Alberta) led off the second with a double and after an MCC walk, the Lady Indians were unable to score, managing a groundout and two flyouts.

Andie Suhai (sophomore, Medicine Hat, Alberta) singled to lead off the sixth inning and freshman Lexi Knapp (Berthoud, Colo.) singled. Suhai scored on a sacrifice hit by Rocio Mascorro (Brownsville, Texas) but that was the end of the scoring.

Covill-Marter took the loss allowing three hits, three walks and no earned runs while strikeout out nine Plainswomen.

MCC was held to three singles and a double.

GAME 2 – Northeastern JC 6, McCook CC 3: The Plainswomen loaded the bases in the first on a one-out walk, a single, a walk and a two-out RBI single.

MCC tied the game in the third on a walk, a two-out double by freshman Ayana Goodwin (Broomfield, Colo.) and a two-run single by Andie Suhai.

The score remained 2-2 until the NJC sixth when the Plainswomen scored two runs on a triple and three singles.

The Lady Indians made it a 4-3 game on a leadoff walk by Anna Elliott, a single by sophomore Brylee Dean (Gering) a sacrifice bunt by Ella Covill-Marter, a walk and a bases-loaded, RBI fielder's choice with freshman Laila Gutierrez (Seminole, Texas) batting.

NJC scored two unearned runs in the seventh.

Freshman Sadie Kahl (Calgary, Alberta) went the distance in the circle, allowing 11 hits, two walks, five strikeouts and four earned runs.

MCC had nine hits with three by Kahl and two by Suhai.