MCC Softball takes NCCAC title, sweeps Central

The McCook Community College softball team locked up the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference title Wednesday winning a pair of wins over Central Community College and sweep through the NCCAC schedule with a 10-0 mark.

"I'm proud of the kids for the sweep and being Nebraska Conference Champs," said MCC Coach Kevin Kaalberg.

MCC started the day scoring seven runs in the first inning of Game 1 and got a home run from sophomore Ashland Baca (Byers, Colo.) -- her record-breaking 21^th of the season – as MCC rolled to a 9-1 win. In Game 2, MCC got a seven-run second inning and held on for an 8-5 win.

 "It can be really difficult mentally playing high-intensity regional games on the weekend and then playing against Nebraska Conference DII teams during the week," Kaalberg said. "They took care of business like a good team should."

Central goes to 15-25 on the season and finishes in second place in the NCCAC at 6-6. Southeast was third at 4-8 and North Platte fourth at 2-8. (MCC and North Platte had a doubleheader canceled by bad weather.)  

MCC now turns its attention to the Region IX schedule as the first-place team in the standings and will finish the regular season this weekend against second-place Western Nebraska for the Region IX regular season title on the line as well the chance to host the Region IX tournament.

At 18-8 in the region and 36-18 overall, MCC leads Western Nebraska, Trinidad State and Otero by two games in the standings and three games over Northeastern Junior College. (See complete Region IX Standings below).

First pitch for the four-game series with the Cougars at the Jaycees Sports Complex is at 1 p.m. for the Saturday doubleheader and 11 a.m. Sunday.

 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 9, Central CC 1: After Central's leadoff hitter tripled and scored on a passed ball, MCC seized control of the game scoring seven times to take a 7-1 lead. Nevaeh Ogden (freshman, Littleton, Colo.) led off with a single and tied the game on a RBI single by Alexis Cortez (sophomore, Aurora, Colo.), a bases-loaded walk gave MCC a 2-1 lead and MCC capped the inning with a three-run home run to center by sophomore Rae VanMilligan (sophomore, Marion, Iowa).

Ashland Baca hit a solo home run in the second to put MCC up 8-1. With her 21^st homer of the year she breaks the MCC single-season record of 20, hit last year by Taryn Jenkins. She has hit the seventh most homers among NJCAA Division I players this year.   

Avery O'Neil (sophomore, Ellsworth, Wis.) pitched the first two innings for MCC and allowed one hit two walks, one run and she struck out four. Sophomore Anna Wilcox (Victoria, British Columbia) pitched 3.1 innings allowing two hits, two walks and she struck out five. Tyler Mooring (freshman, Santa Clara, Utah) pitched the final two-third of an inning and struck out one.

MCC walked the game off on the eight-run rule in the sixth inning. With two outs Mooring was hit by a pitch, Madisyn Simms (freshman, Port Moody, British Columbia) followed with a single and freshman Sydney Erlandson (Woodbury, Minn.) ended the game with an RBI-single.

MCC outhit Central 9-3 getting two-hit games by Ogden and freshman Cassidy Fife (Provo, Utah).

GAME 2 – McCook CC 8, Central CC 5: MCC sent 12 hitters to the plate in a seven-run second inning which included six singles and a two-run double by Alexis Cortez. She leads the nation with 25 doubles and is second in hits with her 88 hits on the season.

Starting pitcher Tyler Mooring held the Raiders off the scoreboard until they reached her for a run in the fourth and three in the fifth to cut the MCC lead to 7-4. Mooring pitched 4.2 innings, allowed nine hits, three earned runs. She struck out five and didn't walk any.

MCC added a run in the fifth on a bases loaded walk.

Anna Wilcox pitched the final 2.1 innings, and allowed two hits, one run and she struck out two.

MCC had 13 hits in the game with two each by Nevaeh Ogden, Taylor Thein (sophomore, West Branch, Iowa), Alexis Cortez, Cassidy Fife, and Rae VanMilligan.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NCCAC FINAL STANDINGS

                     W- L

McCook         10-0

Central           6-6

Southeast       4-8

N. Platte         2-8

REGION IX STANDINGS

                                 W – L   GB    OVERALL

McCook                     18-8        --      36-18

Western Nebraska      16-10      2       19-28

Trinidad State            16-10      2       24-23

Otero JC                    18-12*    2       30-25

Northeastern JC          15-11     3       28-21

Lamar CC                    8-18    10       13-34

Luna CC                      2-24    16         6-40

FINAL WEEKEND SCHEDULE (All four-game series with two doubleheaders)

   Western Nebraska at McCook, Saturday 1 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.

   Northeastern JC at Trinidad State, Saturday 1 .m. (MT), Sunday 11 a.m. (MT)

   Lamar at Luna CC Sunday, noon (MT), Monday 11 a.m. (MT)

   * Otero JC completed schedule