Lady Indians sweep Western Nebraska
The 25th ranked McCook Community College softball team won two more games Friday, sweeping Western Nebraska Community College 13-1 and 8-0 with both games shortened to five innings on the eight-run rule.
“We played very well in all aspects of the game” said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall. “We pitched very well, played great defense, and hit.”
Paige Warren (Victoria, British Columbia) picked up a complete-game win in Game 1 as MCC struck four nine runs and five extra-base hit including a home run by sophomore Kashlin Beck (Claflin, Kan.) who drove in four RBIs.
“We scored seven runs in the first inning of Game 1 before recording an out,” said Mendenhall. “These ladies were ready to go.”
Freshman Hannah Schneider (Alliance, Neb.) pitched a no-hit shutout in Game 2 as Beck hit two more home runs and freshman Lyndsay Keogh (Surrey, British Columbia), drove in three runs.
“We had a stellar pitching performance from Hannah with a no hitter,” said Mendenhall. “She kept WNCC off balance the entire game.”
Western Nebraska goes to 3-7 in the region standings and 10-16 overall.
MCC improves to 13-1 to lead Region IX and go to 28-4.
These two teams will finish their four-game season-series Sunday in Scottsbluff with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
GAME 1 – McCook CC 13, Western Nebraska 1: The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the first with a leadoff walk, a stolen base and a two-out single.
The Lady Indians responded with nine runs in the bottom of the first inning and sent 13 batters to the plate and five extra-base hits, which included a leadoff double by Paige Warren, an RBI-double by Lyndsay Keogh, a two-run double by sophomore Audrey Reeves (Sterling, Colo.), a two-run home run by Kashlin Beck, and a double by freshman Hayley Smith (Chestermere, Alberta).
MCC added to the 9-1 lead with four runs in the fourth. Freshman Brooklyn Gillen (McCook) led off with a double followed by two walks, a two-run single by Beck, an RBI-groundouts by Smith and freshman Lacyn Keller (McCook).
Warren picked up the complete-game win, and improves to 11-2 with 10 complete games. She allowed five hits, walked one and struck out five.
Beck led the MCC offense with four RBIs. She was one of four players with two-hit games, including Warren, Keogh and Gillen.
GAME 2 – McCook CC 8, Western Nebraska 0: Paige Warren led off the first with a single and scored on an RBI-single from Lyndsay Keogh with another run scoring on a sacrifice fly.
MCC doubled its 2-0 lead in the third on a double by Warren, a walk and a two-run single by Keogh.
Beck led off the fourth with a solo home run. In the MCC fifth, Keogh and Brooklyn Gillen doubled to make it 6-0. A sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Marleigh Mitchell (Mission, British Columbia) made it 7-0 and Beck ended the game on the eight-run rule with a solo homer to right field – her team-leading 10th home of the season.
Hannah Schneider improved to 8-1on the year with her shutout. She didn’t allow a hit and allow a hit or a walk with the only base runner reaching on an outfield error. She struck out seven Lady Cougars. This was her fourth complete game.
Warren and Keogh both had three-hit games for MCC, Beck had two.
Up-to-date information about MCC softball including up-to-date schedule and changes, livestream links for home games, rosters, photos, statistics and more can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com