Bison softball girls bitten by Bulldogs

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- McCook had just beaten North Platte by two runs a few days earlier in the North Platte Invitational girls softball tournament semifinals.

So the Tuesday, Sept. 21, 12-4 win by the host Bulldogs probably caught some Bison fans, and the McCook team, by surprise.

McCook had beaten North Platte, 4-2, in the tournament action Sept. 18 on the Armory Park diamonds, the site of Tuesday's rematch. Bison head coach Jason Cochran said his team can't afford to take anyone lightly or to not play at a high level every game.

"We played all right -- it was just one of those nights that didn't go our way," Coach Cochran said. "There was four close calls -- if we would have gotten one it might have swayed the game, but that happens. They were close judgment plays, and we aren't taking anything away from North Platte -- they played real well.

"We need to learn from this. We need to come in, focus and take care of business. There isn't any games left where we can play all right. We have to play at a high level to get to and through districts and into state."

The hosts scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning to erase a 2-0 McCook lead. The Bulldogs added two runs in the bottom of the third inning and a single run in the fourth.

The Bison rallied with a pair of runs to pull within 6-4. North Platte exploded for six runs in the bottom of the sixth to end the game by the mercy run rule.

North Platte clobbered 15 hits off McCook pitcher Kelsey Gillen, while the Bison had six hits and helped the Bulldogs with three errors.

Amanda Einspahr, Gillen, Erin Premer and Megan Ruppert each knocked in a run for McCook. Einspahr, Gillen and Madison Chitwood each had a double, and Einspahr scored two of the four Bison runs.

Only five of North Platte's 12 runs were earned. Gillen walked four Bulldogs batters with one strikeout.

The Bison varsity returns to action Thursday, Sept. 23, with a trip to Ogallala to face Scottsbluff and Chadron. McCook will also play three games at the Lincoln Southeast Softball Classic Saturday, Sept. 25, against Class A teams Millard West, Lincoln Southeast and Omaha Burke.

Junior varsity

The Bison reserves also lost a 12-1, four-inning decision at North Platte Tuesday.

McCook was out-hit 9-5, and North Platte scored all its runs in the second inning.

Alli Sheets and Maddie Elder both pitched for the Bison JV. Sheets surrendered nine runs (five earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 1 1/3 innings. Elder pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs and three hits.

Rachel Leitner had two hits to lead the Bison JV, while Sheets had a double and Elder drove in McCook's run with a base hit. Nichelle Funk also had a hit and scored McCook's run.

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