Menu
Bison softball state-bound
Call it a "five-peat."
The McCook High School softball team will be making its fifth straight trip to the Class B state tournament by blasting Gering 12-0 in four innings in the Class B-6 District Championship Friday afternoon at Jaycees Sports Complex.
The Gering Bulldogs cleared a bit of a hurdle for the Bison by beating Lexington 2-1 in the consolation finals Friday morning.
The Bison (29-1) survived a nine-inning 2-1 contest against Lexington Thursday night.
Senior Lisa Friehe earned her third victory of the tournament and improved her season record to 26-1. She allowed just three hits, struck out five (giving her 205 for the season) and walked one.
McCook collected 10 hits. Michelle Gaunt, Maggie Jones and Melissa Ankersen each had two hits. Kaitlin Powell and Sunee Haney each had one.
McCook scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning after two outs. Jones walked, stole second and scored on Friehe's double.
Ankersen singled home pinch-runner Kassi Cunningham, but was thrown out at second trying to stretch the hit into a double.
In the second, two more runs scored. Jillian Bryant walked, stole second and scored on Powell's single. Haney doubled to score Powell.
The Bison scored three runs in the third inning on doubles by Jones and Ankersen, a single by Friehe and two fielder's choices. McCook led 7-0,
The Bison tacked on five more runs in the fourth. Jones singled and scored on a throwing error by the shortstop on Friehe's grounder.
Then Ankersen, Bryant, Powell, Kayla Wilson and Michelle McKenna walked. Gaunt singled to end the game on the 12-run rule.
"We just dominated Gering in the game with hitting and their pitching had trouble finding the plate," said McCook softball coach Dale Lortz.
"The girls and assistant coaches Hilton, Sheets and Roberts did an excellent job playing and preparing for the district.
This is the fifth one in a row, with many of the seniors in on four years in a row.
"The game with Lexington Thursday night should help us prepare for state.
"The softball team and coaches would like to thank the good crowd support for the tournament, which was great."
The Class B state tournament will be played Thursday and Friday at the Seymour Smith Complex, 66th and Harrison Streets, in Omaha.
The Bison will play at 10 a.m. and noon Thursday, said Lortz.
Pairings will be announced today by the Nebraska School Activities Association. The NSAA website is http://www.nsaahome.org.