McCook Bison softball squad falls to ranked Omaha teams

HASTINGS -- The McCook High School softball team opened the season Thursday with a pair of shutout losses to ranked programs from Omaha.

The Bison lost to Omaha Gross 11-0 and Omaha Skutt 3-0.

Skutt and Gross are ranked sixth and seventh in Nebraska Class B.

In the loss to Gross, McCook committed six errors which led to seven unearned runs. Omaha Gross scored three runs in the first inning on two base hits, a walk and an error.

The Cougars added two in the third and one in the fourth.

McCook's Stephanie Douglas pitched the first four innings and gave up six runs, but only two were earned.

Two ninth graders Kirstie Hiatt and Marissa Wallace pitched the last two innings and gave up five runs, but only two were earned.

Offensively, McCook had three hits -- Michelle McKenna, Kori Collins and Andrea Soden each singled.

No runner reached second base for McCook.

"We made some physical and mental mistakes in the game, which were mostly nerves and inexperience against a very good Gross team that hit the ball very well," said McCook softball coach Dale Lortz.

"The pitchers did a good job allowing only two walks and striking out three, but did not get much defensive help."

Inthe 3-0 loss to Omaha Skutt, the Skyhawks scored one in the first on a base hit, stolen base, sacrifice and then a sacrifice fly.

McCook opened the first with a walk to Kirn Serbousek, but she was erased on an attemped steal.

Skutt did not score its second run until the fifth.

McCook committed its first error, and Skutt took advantage of it with a sacrifice bunt and base hit.

McCook thratened in the bottom of the fifth. Andrea Soden reached on an error and Jessica Emspahr pinch-ran for her.

Lindsey Lawson then got a base hit to left, and Einspahr went to third and Lawson went to second on the throw.

With one out, Natalie Brooks popped up to first and Austin Wilson grounded out to second to to end the threat.

Kori Collins and Jillian Bryant had the only other hits for McCook.

Omaha Skutt added its third run in the sixth on a single and double.

Taryn Placzek pitched for the Bison against Omaha Skutt.

Placzek scattered eight hits and allowed only two earned runs.

She struck out two and did not allow a walk.

"We did much better the second game defensively and Taryn threw a good game, "Lortz said. "We hit the ball better, but could not find the holes."

Lortz said the losses to Gross and Skutt could be beneficial later in the season.

"I think these games will help us down the line, because we learned what an experienced quality ball club plays like.

"We just need to be patient and improve. I thought our pitchers did a god job overall.

"We just need to get fundamentally sounder and hit the ball a little better.

"I am not disappointed in the effort at all. We know what we have to do and just need reps now."

The Bison squad competes Saturday at the Holdrege Invitational.

In the first round, McCook plays Gering at 8 a.m. and Cozad plays Grand Island Northwest at 9:45 a.m.

In the other bracket, Minden plays Holdrege at 8 a.m., followed by Lexington vs. Hastings at 9:45 a.m.

Consolation and winner's bracket games will be played at 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.

Those games will be followed by third- and seventh-place games at 3 p.m. and the fifth- and first-place games at 4:45 p.m.

The Bison host their own tournament Sept. 4 at the Jaycees Sports Complex.

In addition to McCook, other teams competing are Scottsbluff, Cozad, Chase County-Imperial, Holdrege, Gering, Minden and Lexington.