MCC softball team splits first Region pair

PUEBLO, Colo. – The McCook Community College Lady Indian softball team exploded for six runs in the third inning of Game 2 Thursday to gain a split in the opening series of Region IX play with Otero Junior College. MCC won the second game 13-5 after dropping the first game 7-4. The games were moved from La Junta, Colo. to Runyon Sports Complex (Salas Field) in Pueblo, because of field conditions.

A pair of freshman anchored the offense in both games with Hannah Jensen, (Aurora, Colo.) pounding out five hits in seven at bats on the day with a double, triple and five RBI. Emma McLean (Willetton, Western Australia) was four-for-six on the day three extra-base-hits and a pair of RBI in each game. Sophomore Jerusha Miner, (Gunnison Valley, Utah) had four hits on the day and scored four runs.

Otero is 11-3 on the season while MCC is 4-5.

The two teams complete the four game series Friday with games at 11 a.m. (MT) and 1 p.m. (MT).

GAME 1: OTERO JC 7, McCOOK CC 5: The Rattlers never trailed taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning, adding a run in the second and two in the third and fifth innings.

MCC scored a run in the second on an RBI-double off the bat of freshman Emma McLean. Down 5-1 in the fifth, McLean stroked a solo home-run.

With two on and one out in the seventh, freshman Hannah Jensen doubled to left to make it a 7-4 game. The Lady Indians loaded the bases with two outs, but couldn't capitalize.

Three freshman carried the workload in the pitching circle. Etta Van Burgsteden (Kinistino, Saskatchewan) started and went three innings, allowing six hits, a walk, and four earned runs. Angel Valdez (West Jordan, Utah) went two inning allowing two unearned runs on a hit. She fanned two. Freshman Sarah Willier, (Ponoka, Alberta) pitched a hitless, scoreless frame.

MCC out-hit Otero 9-7. Hannah Jensen had three hits and two RBIs and McLean had a pair of extra-base hits with two RBIs.

GAME 2: MCC 13, OTERO JC 5: The Indians opened the second game with a two-out rally in the first on RBI-singles by Isabel Serna (Roy, Utah) and Emma McLean.

Chanel Siebenthal (Lakewood, Colo.) doubled to lead off the sixth inning. Jerusha Miner followed with a base hit to right field. Jade Hollands (Effingham, Kan.) was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run of the inning and an Otero error led to the second. Brooklyn Jensen (West Valley City, Utah) singled to make it 5-0 before Hanna Jensen's bases-loaded triple made it 8-0.

After allowing a run in the OJC third, MCC came back with three more runs in the fourth and two in the sixth.

Miner led off the third with a double and came home on a Serna double. Abby Kalinski (McCook) delivered a two-run, pinch-hit double to make it 11-1. Serna made it 12-1 on a sacrifice fly and McLean gave MCC its final run on an RBI-double.

Otero had five straight hits to lead off the fifth leading to four runs but sophomore transfer Shae Muggridge, (Perth, Western Australia) was able to limit the damage and picked up the win in the circle giving up four earned runs on 10 hits. She struck out two and walked one.

MCC out-hit OJC 13-10 with Miner collecting three. They Lady Indians also got multi-hit games from Hannah Jensen, Siebenthal, Serna and McLean.