Bison girls advance to state softball tourney

STEVE KODAD

Gazette Sports Editor

CHADRON -- After losing their first game in the Class B-6 District Tournament Thursday, the McCook High School softball team had their backs to the wall.

But the Bison girls knocked that wall down by winning five straight games under adverse weather conditions to claim the district title Saturday afternoon.

McCook scored four runs in the top of the seventh to claim a 10-5 win over Scottsbluff in the tournament title game.

The district meet in Chadron was plagued by snow, wind and very cold temperatures. Weather conditions forced several delays in the district meet schedule, including pushing the championship final back a day.

Lexington beat the top-seeded Bison 4-3 Thursday evening to drop the Bison into the loser's bracket. One loss and the McCook state tournament hopes would disappear. The Bison started the miraculous run throught the loser's bracket Thursday night with an 11-0 win over Alliance.

Chadron topped Gering 4-1 in Thursday's other loser's bracket action. The tournament hosts faced McCook Friday morning, and the Bison found plenty of offense again in an 11-3 win to eliminate Chadron. The Bison girls drew a rematch with Lexington Friday afternoon, after the Minutemaids lost 6-5 to Scottsbluff early Friday in the winner's bracket final game. McCook ran to an 11-1 win to eliminate the Maids.

That win pushed the Bison to the championship game against Scottsbluff Friday evening. The Bearcats were unbeaten in the district meet with wins over Gering and Lexington. McCook would need a win to force a second game. The Bison won a 7-5 decision to force the second championship game Friday night.

Snow forced officials to call off the second game and push it back to Saturday afternoon.

McCook built an early 6-0 lead in Saturday's final game, but Scottsbluff clawed its way back, pulling within 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Bison scored four runs in the top of the seventh, then held Scottsbluff scoreless in the final at-bat to win the district title with the 10-5 decision.

McCook takes an 18-13 record to the Class B State Tournament at Hastings next week. The seventh-seed Bison face second-seed Blair (23-4) in first-round state meet action Wednesday on field 2 at the Bill Smith Softball Complex in Hastings.

Watch the Gazette Sports pages and here on the Gazette Web site for more state tournament information.