McCook softball team improves to 13-1

HASTINGS -- Senior Lisa Friehe fired a one-hitter as the McCook High School softball team improved to 13-1 with a 6-2 victory at Hastings Tuesday.

Friehe struck out seven and walked one. Both runs were earned. McCook scored three runs in the top of the second when Friehe reached first base on an error and was sacrificed to second on Melissa Ankersen's bunt.

Jillian Bryant then singled and advanced to second on the throw home, putting runners at second and third. Kaitlin Powell then doubled down the left field line to score Kassi Cunningham (running for Friehe) and Bryant. Powell also scored on an errant throw to second that rolled to the outfield fence. McCook added two runs in the third. Michelle Gaunt led off with a single and advanced to second on Lindsey Dame's ground ball. Maggie Jones smacked an RBI triple and scored on Ankersen's deep fly ball to left field.

Hastings scored in the bottom of the fourth when the leadoff hitter reached first on a strikeout that got past the catcher. The next hitter reached on an error.

Both runners advanced on a ground ball to second for the first out. Hastings' lone hit of the game scored both runners. McCook answered with one more run in the fifth. Friehe singled and Ankersen walked. Powell then singled in Friehe with her third RBI of the game.

"We played well against a solid ball club at their place," said McCook softball coach Dale Lortz. "The kids hit the ball well all night and probably could have had more hits than the eight they got. "Lisa pitched another solid game and defensively we played well except for a lapse in the fourth."

Placzek, Douglas team up for 2-hit shutout in JV victory

Freshman Taryn Placzek and sophomore Stephanie Douglas combined to pitch a two-hit shutout as the McCook junior varsity softball team ripped Hastings 9-0. Placzek picked up the victory. She pitched four innings, struck out six and allowed both hits. In three innings of relief, Douglas fanned six and walked one. The Bison JV collected 12 hits and scored three runs in the top of second, one in the fourth, one in the fifth and four in the sixth. Five players each had two hits -- Kala Smalley, Natalie Brooks, Michelle McKenna, Andrea Soden and Courtney Carter, who smacked a triple.

Upcoming schedule

The McCook junior varsity softball squad plays a 4 p.m. MST (5 p.m. CST) doubleheader at Chase County-Imperial Thursday. The McCook varsity squad will participate in the North Platte Tournament Saturday. The Bison open tournament play at noon against Lincoln North Star. The North Platte facility has four fields. McCook is the highest ranked team in the tournament with a 43.6154 ranking and is the No. 1 seed. The Bison are followed in the seedings by Lincoln Southwest, 41.5625; Gering, 40.6000; Lexington, 40.2857; Norfolk, 39.0667; North Platte, 38.1333; Scottsbluff, 36.3750; and Lincoln North Star, 33.6429. Other opening round games starting at noon are Lexington vs. Norfolk, Gering vs. North Platte and Scottsbluff vs. Lincoln Southwest. Consolation and winner's bracket games start at 1:45 p.m. Seventh-, fifth-, third- and first-place games start at 3:30 p.m.