Lady Indians split Friday doubleheader with Otero JC

The Lady Indian softball team split a pair of Region IX games Friday at the Jaycees Sports Complex against Otero Junior College. MCC won the first game 9-1 and lost the second game 14-11.

MCC exploded for eight runs in the third inning on the way to a 9-1 win in Game 1 to back the pitching of sophomore Ella Covill-Marter (Queensland, Australia).

"Ella threw a great Game 1," said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall. "We had a big inning and never looked back."

MCC scored five runs in the first inning of Game 2, but Otero responded by scoring at least one run in the second through seventh innings.

"We came out swinging in Game 2 and we were disciplined at the plate early," said Mendenhall. "Through the middle innings we were not disciplined at all and that made a huge different in the game."

MCC was outhit 17-10 and committed five errors.

"It's tough to win a game with five errors," said Mendenhall. "We will come back stronger tomorrow."

Otero goes to 15-18 overall and 10-4 in region play.

MCC goes to 22-6 and 4-4 in the region.

The two teams will conclude their series with another doubleheader Saturday 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 – McCook CC 9, Otero JC 1: Freshman Anna Elliott (Calgary, Alberta) hit a two-out triple in the third inning and gave MCC a 1-0 lead on a single from sophomore Ella Covill-Marter.

Freshman Laila Gutierrez (Seminole, Texas) started off the third with a double. The Lady Indian offense generated six more singles amidst an Otero error before Gutierrez ended the scoring on a two-run home run to center field.

Covill-Marter picked up the five-inning win allowing four hits, one earned run, three walks and eight strikeouts.

Gutierrez and Covill-Marter both had two hits and two RBIs. Sophomore Andie Suhai (Medicine Hat, Alberta) also had a two-hit game.

GAME 2 – Otero JC 14, McCook CC 11: Laila Gutierrez started the MCC first with a double and later scored on a passed ball. Freshman Lexi Knapp (Berthoud, Colo.) had a sacrifice fly to put MCC up 2-0 and freshman Anna Elliott (Calgary, Alberta) hit a three-run home run to give the Lady Indians a 5-0 lead.

Otero got on the scoreboard with a two-run homer in the second but MCC got those runs back on a bases-loaded walk and an Otero error.

The Rattlers got another two-run homer in the third to key a four-run inning to close to within 7-6. Elliott homered to lead off the third and later MCC took a 9-6 lead with a bases-loaded walk.

OJC scored a run in the fifth took its first lead with a two-run sixth inning.

Freshman Sadie Kahl (Calgary, Alberta) pitched 3.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on eight hits, no walks and no strikeouts.

Knapp homered with two outs in the sixth to pull MCC within 11-10 but Otero scored three runs in the seventh.

MCC pitchers only allowed three unearned runs. Knapp pitched the final 3.1 innings allowing nine hits, one earned run, one walk and one strikeout.

Elliott led the way offensively with her sixth and seventh home runs in a three-hit, three-RBI game. Knapp had two hits.