MCC Softball sweeps North Platte in Purple-Out games

The McCook Community College softball team picked up a pair of wins on Purple-Out Day Saturday over North Platte to stretch the team's winning streak to 10 games. MCC won 8-0 and 9-3.

"I'm proud of the kids for their 10th straight win, for going through first round of the Nebraska Conference schedule 6-0 and separating themselves from those teams," said MCC Coach Kevin Kaalberg.

MCC goes to 21-13 overall and 6-0 in the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference.

North Platte goes to 1-19, and 1-5 in the NCCAC.

On Saturday, Ashland Baca, sophomore, Byers, Colo., slammed home runs in both games. Alexis Cortez (sophomore, Aurora, Colo.) had two hits in each game and three MCC pitchers held North Platte to no earned runs.

"Overall we played very well and they continue to work on getting better," Kaalberg said.

MCC is scheduled to play a pair of games at Sterling, Colo. Wednesday, starting at noon (CDT.)

On Saturday MCC will be back home for a four-game set with Otero Junior Collee Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's doubleheaders start at 1 p.m. and Sundays start at 11 a.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 – McCook CC 8, North Platte CC 0: MCC scored four runs in the first inning and never trailed as the first four hitters reached base. Freshman Nevaeh Ogden (Littleton, Colo.) drew a walk, freshman Emma Pennala (Tri-Cities, Wash.) had a bunt single and Alexis Cortez (sophomore, Aurora, Colo.) drove them both home with a double. Ashland Baca (sophomore, Byers, Colo.) singled Cortez to third and freshman Madisyn Simms (Port Moody, British Columbia) and Paige Smith (freshman Perth, Australia) delivered back-to-back RBI-groundouts to put MCC on top 4-0.

Taylor Thein (sophomore, West Branch, Iowa) singled to lead off the second inning, stole second and third and scored on an Ogden single.

Starting pitcher Avery O'Neil (sophomore, Ellsworth, Wis.) limited traffic on the bases allowing two hits in four innings worked, she struck out six.

MCC scored three more in the fourth inning on a North Platte error, a hit batter and a three-run home run by Baca.

Smith pitched the fifth inning allowing one hit and striking out two.

MCC outhit North Platte 8-3 with two hits each from Baca, Cortez and Sydney Erlandson (freshman, Woodbury, Minn.).

GAME 2 – McCook CC 9, North Platte CC 3: MCC got out on top in the bottom of the first on a two-out, two-run home run by Ashland Baca to take a 2-0 lead.

MCC added four more in the second. Alyssa Winter (freshman, Lexington) led off the second with a single and came home on a double by Sydney Erlandson. Taylor Thein delivered a one-out RBI single to make it a 4-0 game and Alexis Cortez had an RBI-single to give MCC a 6-0 lead.

Paige Smith started in the pitching circle and kept the Knights off the scoreboard, leaving after three innings, allowing two hits, one walk and one strikeout.

North Platte greeted reliever Anna Wilcox (sophomore, Victoria, British Columbia) scoring three unearned runs in the fourth inning. MCC got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning when Cortez singled in Ogden who led off the inning with a single to make it a 7-3 MCC lead.

MCC added the final two runs in the fifth when Cortez was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, went to third on single Madisyn Simms and both runners came home on a two-out North Platte error.

Wilcox pitched four innings, allowed four hits, no earned runs, no walks and three strikeouts.

MCC got two-hit games from Ogden, Cortez and Rae VanMilligan (sophomore, Marion, Iowa)