Bison softball team captures Holdrege title

Tuesday, September 2, 2003

HOLDREGE -- The McCook Bison softball team, ranked No. 2 in Class B by the Omaha World Herald, captured the championship at the Holdrege Invitational Saturday.

The Bison posted a 3-0 record and improved to 4-0 overall.

McCook defeated Gering 2-0 in the first round, fought off defending Class C state champion Cozad 5-3 in the semifinals and shut out Lexington 3-0 in the championship.

In the victory over Gering, McCook senior Lisa Friehe pitched a two-hitter. She struck out 12 and walked two for the victory.

McCook scored both of its runs in the first inning. Michelle Gaunt led off with a single, advanced to second on Sunee Haney's sacrifice bunt and went to third on a wild pitch.

Maggie Jones walked and stole second base to put runners on second and third. Friehe bunted in Gaunt with the first run and Jones scored on Melissa Ankersen's single. Haney and Michelle McKenna each singled for the Bison.

In the victory over Cozad, Friehe allowed four hits, struck out four and walked one to defeat Cozad, ranked No. 1 in Class C. Friehe allowed three unearned runs.

McCook scored two runs in the first inning and single tallies in the third, fourth and fifth. In the first, Gaunt walked and was bunted to second by Haney. Jones then singled in Gaunt with the first run and scored on Ankersen's single.

In the third inning, Haney hit an inside-the-park home run. In the fourth, Friehe led off with a single and was pinch-run for by Kassi Cunningham, who scored on Kaitlin Powell's double.

In the fifth, McKenna singled and was pinch-run for by Courtney Carter. She advanced to second on Kim Serbousek's bunt, went to third on Gaunt's ground ball out and scored on a passed ball.

In the championship against Lexington, No. 7 in Class B, Friehe pitched a two-hit shutout. She walked two and struck out 11.

McCook scored all three of its runs in the fourth inning. Ankersen led off with a single and scored on Powell's triple. Powell scored on Jillian Bryant's sharp ground ball to second. McKenna tripled and scored on Gaunt's single.

"It was a good tournament for the team against some good competition," said McCook softball coach Dale Lortz. "Lisa pitched well and Kayla Wilson and Kaitlin Powell did a good job catching her.

"Offensively, we hit the ball well, but we need to execute a little better. I was proud of how the kids played for their first tournament."

The Bison and the Cozad Haymakers will hook up again tonight at Cozad. The junior varsity game starts at 5 p.m., followed by the varsity game at 6:30 p.m.

Photos by Mary Jo Serbousek

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