NJC sweeps MCC softball with pair of walk-off wins

STERLING, Colo. – The Northeastern Junior College softball team remained unbeaten in Region IX play taking a pair of games Thursday from McCook Community College. NJC won both games in the bottom of the seventh innings winning the first game 6-5 and taking the second game 5-4.

"Those were two really good games," said MCC Coach Kevin Kaalberg. "I'm proud of the way they continued to fight."

MCC got down 4-0 in Game 1 but battled back to tie the game 5-5 in the sixth inning before the Plainswomen got the walk-off win in the seventh. In Game 2, MCC took a 2-1 lead in the third and 3-2 in the fourth, and tied the game 4-4 in the sixth, but lost the game on another walk-off hit in the seventh.

"We just need to keep working and limit other teams opportunities whether it is errors or walks," said Kaalberg.

Northeastern JC improves to 15-10 and 6-0 in Region IX.

MCC falls to 11-13 and 3-3 in Region IX. This weekend MCC travels to Las Vegas, N.M. for a four-game set with Luna Community College (5-22, 1-6). The teams play doubleheaders Saturday starting at 2 p.m. and Sunday at noon. MCC returns home for games April 1 against Southeast Community College at 1 p.m. and April 2 for the Purple Out games against North Platte starting at 1 p.m.

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/landing/index

GAME 1 – Northeastern JC 6, McCook CC 5: The Plainswomen scored the game-winner with two out in the seventh inning.

NJC scored three times in the first to take a lead off MCC starter Avery O'Neil (sophomore, Ellsworth, Wis.) and added another run in the third to go up 4-0.

MCC cut the lead in half in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by freshman Tyler Mooring (Santa Clara, Utah).

The Plainswomen got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run off O'Neil who allowed five runs in four innings of work, she walked four and struck out four.

Trailing 5-2 in the fifth, MCC pushed one run home. After a leadoff single by freshman Madisyn Simms (Port Moody, British Columbia), Alexis Cortez (sophomore, Aurora, Colo.) delivered a two-out double to score Simms.

MCC tied the game in the sixth with a leadoff walk by Mooring and a single by Ashland Baca (sophomore, Byers, Colo.) and then scored a pair of runs on an RBI-groundout from Sydney Erlandson (freshman, Woodbury, Minn.) and an NJC error.

Paige Smith (freshman Perth, Australia) came on in relief and went 2.2 innings, surrendering five hits, and the game-winning run in the seventh. She struck out two hitters.

MCC was out-hit 12-4.

GAME 2 – Northeastern JC 5, McCook CC 4: NJC took the lead with a solo home run in the second but MCC tied it up in the third. Sydney Erlandson and Taylor Thein (sophomore, West Branch, Iowa) singled to lead off the inning, and pinch runner Emma Pennala (freshman, Tri-Cities, Wash.) scored on a Plainswomen error.

Ashland Baca homered to lead off the MCC third to give her team a 2-1 lead but NJC countered with three straight hits to lead off the bottom of the inning and tied the game 2-2.

A Plainswoman error and back-to-back singles by Nevaeh Ogden (freshman, Littleton, Colo.) and Alexis Cortez in the fourth put MCC back on top 3-2 but NJC again responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to reclaim the lead 4-3.

Anna Wilcox (sophomore, Victoria, British Columbia) went four innings, allowed five hits and two earned runs, walking one and striking out five. Avery O'Neil pitched one inning and allowed one earned run on two hits and a walk.

After a one out in the MCC fifth, sophomore Rae VanMilligan (Marion, Iowa) drew a walk, went to second on a groundout, advanced to third on a wild pitch and tied the game 4-4 on Sydney Erlandson's RBI-single.

Paige Smith (freshman Perth, Australia) came on to strikeout three of four hitters in the sixth inning but gave up a pair of hits in the seventh.

NJC had 10 hits in the game, MCC had seven with Erlandson and Cortez both with two each.

The Plainswomen committed four errors and MCC two.