Today's sweep moves MCC close to league title

The McCook Community College softball team took another large step toward capturing the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference title with a pair of wins Wednesday over Central Community College. MCC won 15-5 in six innings and 11-0 in five innings.

"We had great energy today and we came to play from the start," said MCC Coach Kevin Kaalberg.

Freshman Ashland Baca (Byers, Colo.) and sophomore Taryn Jenkins (Aldergrove, British Columbia) combined for eight hits and nine RBI's in the Game 1 win. Jenkins and sophomore Sidney Sansregret (Surrey, British Columbia) both went yard in Game 2 to back the combined pitching shutout by freshman Avery O'Neil (freshman, Ellsworth, Wis.) and Lana Armsbury (Omaha Westside).

"We hit the ball well and our pitchers threw well," Kaalberg said.

With Wednesday's conference wins, the Lady Indians move to 7-1 in the NCCAC, and take a two-game lead over the Raiders in the standings with four games remaining. Central wraps up conference play with an 8-4 mark. North Platte is third at 2-6 and Southeast Community College fourth at 1-7

The Lady Indians travel to Beatrice Thursday for two more NCCAC games against Southeast Community College. A win in Game 1 Thursday at Beatrice would ensure a tie for the conference title and a doubleheader sweep would clinch the title. MCC will wrap up NCCAC play Wednesday at North Platte. The Knights also play a doubleheader with Southeast CC this Friday.

MCC will head back into Region IX competition this weekend with a four-game series at Scottsbluff against Western Nebraska Community College.

MCC is 29-9 overall and are setting in third place in the region with a 13-5 record in the standings, two games behind Trinidad State (16-4) and one game back of Northeastern Junior College (13-3).

Western Nebraska is fifth with a 4-12 record and an 8-17 record overall.

For more photos from today's game please visit the McCook Community College Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MPCCMcCook

GAME 1 – McCook CC 15, Central CC 5: MCC jumped out with a 4-0 lead after one inning, stretched it to 7-1 after two, then Central climbed back in the game with four runs in the third inning to make it a 7-5 game. MCC pushed across two runs in the fifth inning and scored six times in the fifth to end the game on a three-run home run by Ashland Baca. She went four-for-five with six RBIs in the game. Taryn Jenkins went four-for-five with three RBIs. Sophomore Alice Midiri (Condove, Italy) had a two-hit game for the Lady Indians.

Avery O'Neil started the game in the pitching circle and went into the third inning. She allowed three earned runs, four hits, walked three and struck out three in her two-plus innings of work. Anna Wilcox (sophomore, Victoria, British Columbia) pitched the final four innings, allowing one hit, one unearned run, one walk and she struck out three.

GAME 2 – McCook CC 11, Central CC 0: After a scoreless first inning the Lady Indian offense struck for seven second-inning runs. Freshman Rae VanMilligan (Marion, Iowa) led the inning off with a double and sophomore Sidney Sansregret (Surrey, British Columbia) homered to left to give MCC a 2-0 lead. Two Central errors and a walk loaded the bases for Camryn Laird (Pueblo, Colo.) who doubled in all three runners to make it a 5-0 game. Taryn Jenkins followed with a two-run home run.

MCC pushed three runs across in the third inning capped by an RBI double by Jenkins. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Charlyee Ortiz (Maud, Okla.) in the brought drove home the final MCC run of the game.

Laird drove in four runs in the game. Sansregret and Jenkins both had two-hit games.

Avery O'Neil went four innings, allowing two hits and four walks while fanning eight. Lana Armsbury went the final inning of scoreless relief, surrendering one hit.

NCCAC STANDINGS

MCC 7-1 .875 -

CCC 8-4 .667 2

NPCC 2-6 .333 5

SECC 1-7 .125 6