Early blast ignites 6-0 Bison win

Monday, August 22, 2016
A huge fan club awaited McCook junior Cassiddy Beeby at home plate after the catcher clobbered a two-run homer in her first at-bat this season Friday night. Beeby's blast plated the first two Bison runs. R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette.

The McCook High Bison were feeling Loop-y and full of adrenaline Friday night with a battery mate who delivered one powerful early jolt.

"I was swinging for a base hit," catcher Cassiddy Beeby said about her first-inning blast and quick 2-0 lead over visiting Gothenburg. "You're never thinking about a home run."

Nor do you ever think about crying in baseball or softball if that old "League Of Their Own" movie line still holds true.

Yet actor Tom Hanks never mentioned smiling -- and junior pitcher Avery Doucet simply couldn't resist during the eventual 6-0 Bison victory.

Doucet and catcher Beeby knew all the offseason effort was already paying off.

"My changeup (pitch) was working really well, and that's something we really worked on in the summer," she said. "Cassidy did an amazing job and when it (a changeup) got called, we both kind of smiled. We knew we had it working."

Doucet would permit only four Gothenburg hits while pitching the seven-inning shutout. She almost matched the Swedes' total as Doucet also delivered a team-high three base hits.

"I was full of adrenaline and maybe a few butterflies," she said. "But it was a good feeling."

Especially since the Bison (1-0 record) had Doucet's back whether they were playing defense or proving offensive support.

Junior Haiden Loop had this base hit Friday night against Gothenburg. Her hit hugged perfectly inside the left-field line to score Lexi Gross. R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette.

Shortstop Emily Jacobs made more than one dazzling fielding play, including a back-handed stab of one sharp grounder to her right.

Jacobs caught the ball, spun and fired one perfect throw to second base -- erasing a sliding Swede from possible scoring position.

Gothenburg (0-1) -- coming off a solid 20-win season last year -- didn't have such good fortune when Bison reached the bases.

Senior Taylor Ford started her terrific evening by hustling to an infield single. She also scored McCook's first run of this season over the left-field fence.

Gothenburg kept the score 2-0 until Bison hustle on those base-paths set up another two runs.

First, senior Lexi Gross struck out only to see this Swedes catcher handle the pitch more like a confused Justin Bieber than solid opposing backstop Beeby.

Gross motored to first base safely and quickly reached second.

Now it's time for that opening "Loop-y" reference to come into play.

Junior Haiden Loop fouled off a tough pitch or two which showed typical lefty slap-hitter tenacity.

However, Loop did more than slap the next ball she saw. She lined it like a bolt perfectly inside the left-field line, scoring Gross for a 3-0 Bison advantage.

Doucet looped another hit into center field and Loop dashed home to make it 4-zip.

McCook junior Avery Doucet fired a four-hit shutout against Gothenburg Friday night in the Bison varsity softball season opener at the Jaycees Complex. R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette.

The Swedes did threaten with two runners on, no outs during the next at-bat.

No problem. More strong pitching and defense doomed this comeback attempt as third baseman Ford turned the final grounder into a third out.

Ford then drove in McCook's final two "frosting on the cake" runs.

She sliced a double between two Gothenburg outfielders. Both Loop and courtesy runner Kori Uerling scored for the 6-0 margin.

"Their pitcher adjusted after we scored a couple early, but then our hitters adjusted," McCook head coach Jason Cochran explained.

Jacobs turned one more super force play to finish McCook's excellent season-opening win over a district foe.

"It was a good opener. Avery and Cassidy did a good job of keeping them (Gothenburg) off-balance. Defensively, I would have liked to see us make a couple more of the routine plays and we will."

"We scored six runs against a pretty good team," he added. "Their pitcher adjusted after we scored a couple early, but then our hitters adjusted."

Cochran also confirmed how Beeby felt about her third varsity career home run. The long ball was a result of long hours perfecting that base-hit swing.

"Her mechanics are pretty close to flawless," he concluded.

The Bison expect perhaps stronger test today during two games at Hastings. Class B's No. 8-rated team is scheduled to play two talented eastern Nebraska schools in Beatrice and Norris. First pitches are set for 4 and 6 p.m.

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