McCook softball seeded first in Class B6 district tourney

The McCook High School softball team is the host and the top seed at the Nebraska Class B6 District Tournament.

The tournament will be played Thursday and Friday at the Jaycees Sports Complex.

The tournament features three teams have been ranked this season.

The Bison, ranked second in Class B, have fashioned a 26-1 record and will be attempting to win its fifth straight district title.

No. 2 seed Lexington is 19-9 and ranked No. 6 in Class B. Gering is 18-9 and was ranked ninth before falling out of the polls.

All three teams feature standout pitchers -- Lisa Friehe (McCook), Kelsey Roberts (Lexington) and Amber Martinez (Gering).

Friehe has a 23-1 record. In 156 innings, she has allowed seven earned runs for a microscopic .0314 earned run average. She has struck out 178 batters and walked just 24.

First-round matchups are Scottsbluff (10-18) vs. Alliance (3-16), 1 p.m. West Field; and Lexington vs. Gering, 3 p.m. West Field.

The Scottsbluff-Alliance winner plays McCook at 3 p.m. on the East Field.

Should McCook win, the Bison will play at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The championship game is slated for 1 p.m. Friday. If a second title game is needed, it will be played at 3 p.m.

The district champion advances to the Class B state tournament Oct. 15-17 at Omaha.

Bison notes -- The Bison broke the Class B state record with 60 consecutive shutout innings. They broke the old mark of 48 set by Beatrice in 2001.

Team stats

Top hitters: Michelle Gaunt 54 hits in 91 at-bats, .593; Lisa Friehe 31-77, .403; Jillian Bryant 25-76, .329.

Runs batted in: Friehe 29, Bryant 19, Maggie Jones 18.

Runs scored: Gaunt 37, Jones 26, Kassi Cunningham 22.

Doubles: Melissa Ankersen 6, Kaitlin Powell 6, Friehe 5, Jones 5.

Triples: Jones 4.

Home runs: Sunee Haney 1.

Stolen bases: Gaunt 29, Jones 17, Ankersen 8.

Sacrifices: Lindsey Dame 15, Bryant 6.

Team stats

Batting average: .323.

Errors: 36.

Stolen bases: 79.

Sacrifices: 49.

Doubles: 31.

Triples: 12.

Home runs: 1.