MCC Softball wins four straight at indoor Iowa tourney

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa – The McCook Community College softball team picked up two more wins Sunday in the finale of the Southeastern Community College indoor tournament at FunCity Turf. MCC picked up a 7-2 morning win over Augustana JV and closed out the weekend with a 7-3 afternoon win over Black Hawk College-Moline.

"Our players did a good job this weekend, they continue to grow and get better," said MCC Coach Kevin Kaalberg. "They are playing as a team and picking each other up."

MCC went 4-2 over the weekend and improves to 6-6 on the season.

MCC will host the official start of the Region IX season Thursday to kick off a seven-team, three day, 21-game showcase at the two softball fields at the Jaycee Sports Complex. All seven teams will play two games each day and every team will play one game against each of the other six Region IX schools.

"It is a great opportunity to showcase our community and get an early look at where we are in the region," said Kaalberg. "There is still plenty of season left after next week but it will be fun to host and give the community an opportunity to come support the kids."

MCC will play games at noon and 4 p.m. on Thursday and Saturday and then 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. games Friday.

On Thursday MCC (6-6) will open play against Trinidad State (6-7) on the east field at noon, followed at 4 p.m against Lamar (2-12) in the east field.

Friday's schedule starts with a 10 a.m. game against Luna (2-10) on the west field and a 4 p.m. game with Otero (6-10) on the west field.

On Saturday MCC takes on Western Nebraska (3-9) at noon on the east field and Northeastern Junior College (9-10) at 4 p.m. on the west field

For all the up-to-date information on MCC softball this season including, schedules, statistics, rosters and photos, please visit the official website of MCC Athletics at: https://mccookcc.prestosports.com/sports/sball/index

McCook CC 7, Augustana JV 2 – MCC snapped a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning scoring three runs then added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth.

MCC scored an unearned run in the first, but the Augustana JV took a 2-1 lead in the third inning.

Avery O'Neil (sophomore, Ellsworth, Wis.) pitched the first three innings for MCC, surrendering two runs on two hits, one walk and two strikeouts.

MCC knotted the game with a run in the fourth inning. Sophomore Ashland Baca (Byers, Colo.) led off with a double and tied the game, scoring on a single off the bat of Madison Morlett (freshman, Dallas, Ga.).

In the fifth inning, a pair of hit batters led off to set the stage for a two-out, two-run double by Morlett and an RBI-single from Sydney Erlandson (freshman, Woodbury, Minn.).

Taylor Thein (sophomore, West Branch, Iowa) led off the MCC sixth with a double and gave MCC a 6-2 lead on an infield groundout. MCC scored the final run on an error.

Anna Wilcox (sophomore, Victoria, British Columbia) was on the mound for the final four innings tossed hitless ball, walking two and striking out five.

MCC had 10 hits in the game with two each from Baca, Erlandson, and Morlett, who drove in three.

McCook CC 7, Black Hawk CC-Moline 3 – MCC took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when the first three batters all reached base. Alexis Cortez (sophomore, Arvada, Colo.) started things off with a leadoff walk, went to third on a double by Nevaeh Ogden (freshman, Littleton, Colo.) and scored on a single from Rae VanMilligan (sophomore, Marion, Iowa). A lineout doubleplay thwarted the offensive momentum and MCC was unable to score in the frame.

The same MCC trio ignited the offense again in the fourth inning when Cortez led off with a single, Ogden followed with a bunt single and VanMilligan doubled them both home. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Sydney Erlandson gave MCC a 5-0 lead through four innings.

Tyler Mooring (freshman, Santa Clara, Utah) pitched the first four innings of scoreless ball, allowing two hits, walking one and striking out three.

MCC scored its final runs in the seventh. With one out, Alyssa Winter (freshman, Lexington) singled, Cassidy Fife (freshman, Provo, Utah) doubled and Madisyn Simms (freshman, Port Moody, British Columbia) delivered a two-run double to put MCC up 7-0

Anna Wilcox pitched the final three innings, allowing four hits and three runs (all in the seventh inning). She walked one and struck out six.

MCC had 11 hits in the game with two each from Ogden, VanMilligan (who had three RBIs) and Simms.