MCC Softball loses pair of games to Trinidad State

TRINIDAD, Colo. – The McCook Community College softball team dropped a pair of games to first-place Trinidad State Saturday, losing the first game 5-4 and 17-9 in the second game.

Trinidad State took the first game scoring the winning run in the seventh with two outs and MCC committed five errors in Game 2 leading to 11 unearned runs.

"The first game was a battle. Trinidad is a very disciplined team," said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall. "We were up 4-1 late and couldn't keep the lead."

MCC had a 4-1 lead early in Game 2, but couldn't overcome mistakes in the field.

"They are a good team so we are going to have to be better tomorrow," said Mendenhall.

Trinidad State improves to 15-3 in region IX play, atop the standings and 29-12 overall. MCC falls to 10-8 in the standings and 29-11 overall.

The two teams will wrap up their series Sunday with a doubleheader starting at noon.

All the latest information MCC softball including up-to-date schedule and changes as well as statistics, rosters and photos can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com

GAME 1 – Trinidad State 5, McCook CC 4: The Lady Indians scored in the first inning on a one-out single by freshman Angela Banzet (Surrey, British Columbia). She went to third on a double by Andie Suhai (sophomore, Medicine Hat, Alberta) and scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman Lexi Knapp (Berthoud, Colo.).

The Trojans tied the game in the bottom of the first with a double and a two-out error.

The game remained 1-1 until sophomore Ella Covill-Marter (Queensland, Australia) and Ayana Goodwin (freshman, Broomfield, Colo.) both singled to lead off the fifth inning. A Trinidad error allowed the first run of the inning and with two outs freshman Sadie Kahl (Calgary, Alberta) singled home two runs to give the Lady Indians a 4-1 lead.

Trinidad tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a triple, a single, an MCC error and a home run. The Trojans walked off the win with a two-out double in the seventh and a single.

Covill-Marter pitched 6.2 innings for MCC, allowing eight hits, four earned runs, one walk and seven strikeouts.

"Ella threw a great game," said Mendenhall.

MCC had nine hits including two hits each by Banzet and Kahl.

GAME 2 –Trinidad State 17, McCook CC 9: MCC picked up two runs in the first inning with a leadoff double by Angela Banzet, a Trinidad error, a single by Lexi Knapp and an RBI-groundout by freshman Rocio Mascorro (Brownsville, Texas)

The Lady Indians added two more in the second on a double by sophomore Brylee Dean and a two-out, two-run home run by Andie Suhai, her 15th of the season.

A pair of MCC errors to lead off the second opened the door for Trinidad, and they scored seven unearned runs to take a 7-4 lead. Two MCC errors in the third inning with two outs led to four more unearned runs to put the Trojans up 11-4.

Sadie Kahl allowed seven hits and one earned run in three innings of work, walking one.

Trinidad added one in the fourth on a solo home run off MCC reliever Lexi Knapp.

MCC fought back with four runs in the fifth to close to 12-8. After a leadoff walk by Kahl and a double by Laila Gutierrez (freshman, Seminole, Texas), Dean powered a grand-slam home run to put MCC back in the game. It was her fourth home run of the year.

Knapp surrendered a solo home run in the TSJC fifth but hit a home run of her own in the sixth to make it a 13-9 game. It was her ninth home run of the season.

Trinidad put the game away with four runs in the fifth to win the game by the eight-run rule.

Knapp allowed six hits and five earned runs in her 2.1 innings in the circle. She struck out one.

Gutierrez and Dean both had two-hit games for MCC.