MCC Softball wins 5-1 over NJC to open tournament play

The McCook Community College softball team began the Region IX Tournament Friday at the Jaycee Sports Complex with a 5-1 win over Northeastern Junior College to advance to the winners-bracket game Saturday. MCC will take on Trinidad State at noon. This is a double-elimination tournament.

 "This is step one," said MCC Coach Kevin Kaalberg. "I'm really proud of how they played today, our pitchers threw really well and overall our defense was good."

MCC was able to take control of the game with a five-run third inning ignited by a leadoff solo home run by freshman Cassidy Fife (freshman, Provo, Utah). MCC pitchers Avery O'Neil (sophomore, Ellsworth, Wis.) and Anna Wilcox (sophomore, Victoria, British Columbia) held NJC to one unearned run on six hits and two walks.

The Northeastern opened the tournament with a 9-7 win over Western Nebraska and continued the momentum early against MCC.

After the first two Plainswomen singled to lead off the game, O'Neil induced a fly out to right field, then walked a batter to load the bases. She found the strike zone and threw nothing but strikes for the rest of the inning and retired NJC on a one-pitch shallow pop fly to left field then a three-pitch strikeout.

The Plainswomen applied the pressure again in the third, starting the inning with a single, and an MCC error. After a strikeout and an infield pop fly, NJC took a 1-0 lead on a double.

MCC tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff home run by Fife.

"Cassidy Fife gave us a huge lift with the home run to get our offense going," Kaalberg said.

Her game-tying home run set the stage for a big inning which included four more hits, two walks and an NJC error. Sophomore Rae VanMilligan (sophomore, Marion, Iowa) followed the Fife homer with a double to left field and Nevaeh Ogden (freshman, Littleton, Colo.) bunted for a hit. Taylor Thein (sophomore, West Branch, Iowa) laid down a bunt and reached on a throwing error by the catcher as VanMilligan scored to put MCC up 2-1

Alexis Cortez (sophomore, Aurora, Colo.) grounded into a fielder's choice scoring Ogden then with two outs, MCC got a walk and back-to-back RBI-singles from Madisyn Simms (freshman, Port Moody, British Columbia) and Sydney Erlandson (freshman, Woodbury, Minn.) to take a 5-1 lead.

O'Neal pitched the first four innings and allowed no earned runs on five hits, one walk and two strikeouts. Wilcox came on to shut down the Plainswomen on one hit and one walk in her three innings.

MCC had eight hits in the game with two each by Ogden and Tyler Mooring (freshman, Santa Clara, Utah).

"Tomorrow is another day and we will have to come ready to play," Kaalberg said.

Trinidad State was the second seed in the regular season and beat Otero 5-1 in their opening game Friday. The Trojans are 27-25 on the season.

In the final game Friday, Western Nebraska beat Otero 6-5 to eliminate OJC.

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

REGION IX SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

REGION IX TOURNAMENT

DOUBLE ELIMINATION

FRIDAY RESULTS

Northeastern Junior College 9, Western Nebraska 7

Trinidad State 5, Otero Junior College 1

McCook CC 5, Northeastern JC 1

Western Nebraska 7, Otero JC (Otero eliminated)

SATURDAY SCHEDULE

Game 5 – McCook (40-19) vs Trinidad State (27-25), noon.

ELIMINATION GAMES

Game 6 – Western Nebraska (25-29) vs Northeastern JC (31-24), 2:30 p.m.

Game 7 – Game 6 winner vs Game 5 loser, 5 p.m.

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

Game 8 – Winners bracket champion vs. Game 7 winner

Game 9 (If necessary) If this is the first loss for Game 8 loser