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Bison enjoy a 'lot of yelling' about comeback win
McCOOK, Neb. — They’ve played together since T-ball, won summer titles and yet no McCook Bison softball player had seen anything like late Tuesday night.
“We were down eight runs and it was like we were up 10,” coach Easton Gillen said as Kearney Catholic built leads of 13-5 then 16-8.
They were three outs from being mercy-ruled and six outs from falling to a huge subdistrict foe.
Yet the Bison (6-3 record) kept on cheering, dancing and bringing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” to a new level.
“Everyone in the dugout was super excited,” junior shortstop Brooklyn Gillen said. “I really think it helped to have our student section here and our families. They never gave up on us.”
None of this was just hot air — because temperatures were dropping fast at the Jaycees Complex.
The powerful visiting Stars — who’d crushed three homers and three doubles — were about to see a heroic McCook movie-like lineup.
It all began with junior pitcher Briley Morgan, who suddenly resembled ancient bodybuilder action star Arnold Schwarzenegger with these three words:
“I’ll be back.”
Following a rough first few innings, Morgan returned to the pitcher’s circle and kept those Stars stuck at 16 runs.
“It was definitely different and new for sure,” Briley said about two pitching stints. “But I was happy to do it. I started figuring things out, hitting corners and not leaving anything over the middle of the plate.”
Morgan also doubled home Gillen to bring the Bison within 16-11.
It continued a late comeback which really ignited on junior Dani Johnson’s hustle-double, where she slid safely into second after Stars failed to catch her pop fly.
Junior Sydney Hodgson also smashed an RBI-double and scored another big Bison run.
However, the unforgettable run really happened during McCook’s last chance to bat.
Where junior Lacyn Keller put down two successful bunts in the same inning!
Keller’s leadoff bunt only led to her being erased on a fielder’s choice-sharp grounder from Johnson.
The Stars couldn’t handle another shot off junior Roslyn Wiemers’ bat, though, and Johnson motored to third on this base hit.
Perhaps the greatest moment never noticed in a scorebook happened next:
Junior Sydney Hodgson struck out, but the ball bounced free and she sprinted safely to first base...
Loading the bases for No. 1 hitter Gillen.
“That was a huge moment,” coach Gillen said.
“They’d been pitching me outside-inside but I was just thinking ‘give me anything to hit’,” Brooklyn explained. “Give me a chance to score my runners.”
Wish granted, because Brooklyn drilled a low liner into center that skipped right past the at Kearney Catholic fielder.
While the ball rolled on, all three Bison runners — Johnson, courtesy runner Zoee Minnick and Hodgson — scored to make it 16-14.
Junior Danika Havlicek followed with her third hit and RBI into right field — giving Morgan yet another big chance.
Briley missed with her first swing, then fell into a one ball-two strike count.
“I just didn’t want to strike out,” she said.
Briley promptly smacked an RBI-single between third and short.
Junior Paige Bortner doubled and Malia Hilker reached base on another fielder’s choice.
Even with two outs, Bison victory seemed to be the only fitting conclusion to this drama.
Keller stepped into the batter’s box again, unleashed her speed and a final K.C. Stars throw rocketed into right field.
Bortner brought home the tying run at 16-16, and track sprinter Hilker didn’t stop until she scored this game winner.
“All I remember was a lot of yelling,” Morgan said. “And a lot of hugs.”
The Bison host Lexington at 6:30 tonight.
McCOOK, Neb. — Some of McCook’s offensive leaders from the 17-16 win over Kearney Catholic:
Brooklyn Gillen, four hits on two doubles, two singles, four runs scored and five RBI
Danika Havlicek, three hits, two runs, two RBI
Paige Bortner, double, single, two runs, RBI
Briley Morgan, two hits and two RBI
Malia Hilker, hit, two runs and RBI
Sydney Hodgson, double, three runs, RBI
Dani Johnson, double, two runs, RBI
Lacyn Keller, hit, walk, RBI; Roslyn Wiemers -hit