MCC Softball wins twice against Lady Saints

LIBERAL, Kan. – The McCook Community College softball team took advantage of the weather in southern Kansas and set up a Sunday doubleheader with Seward County Community College and won both games. The Lady Indians won 5-0 in the first game and 10-6 in the second game.

“The girls just did what they needed to do to sweep them,” said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall.

Sophomore Sadie Kahl (Calgary, Alberta) pitched a complete-game shutout in Game 1, allowing four hits and got help on the offensive end from sophomore Laila Gutierrez (Seminole, Texas) who scored twice, doubled twice and knocked in a run.

“Sadie threw a great first game,” said Mendenhall. “We didn’t hit well in Game 1, but we played great defense and did what we needed to do to win.”

Sophomore Rocio Mascorro (Brownsville, Texas) led the offense in Game 2 going four-for-four and finished her afternoon with seven hits.

“Rocio was locked in well,” said Mendenhall. “She got a hit in every at bat she had throughout the day.”

Seward County goes to 6-6 on the season.

MCC improves to 6-1. The team is scheduled to play two games in North Platte Wednesday then four more games in Kansas this week, with two games against Highland Community College Friday and two games Saturday against Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Up-to-date information about MCC softball including livestream links, schedule, statistics, rosters, photos and more can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com 

GAME 1 – McCook CC 5, Seward County Comminity College 0: Laila Gutierrez doubled with one out in the first and came home on an RBI-groundout from sophomore Lexi Knapp (sophomore, Berthoud, Colo.) to put MCC up 1-0. In the third, a Lady Saint error and a Gutierrez walk set the table again for Knapp who doubled two home to give the Lady Indians a 3-0 lead.

SCCC staged a threat in the sixth putting the first two runners on with an MCC error and a walk. After a flyout, MCC erased one runner when catcher Payton Kinsley (freshman, Didsbury, Alberta) threw out a runner trying to seal third. With two outs starting pitcher Sadie Kahl loaded the bases with a walk and a single but induced an inning-ending groundout.

Sophomore Rocio Mascorro (Brownsville, Texas) doubled to lead off the MCC seventh, and following a sacrifice bunt by Ayana Goodwin (sophomore, Broomfield, Colo.), Mascorro scored the fourth MCC run. With two outs, Gutierrez delivered an RBI-double to make it a 5-0 MCC lead.

Sadie Kahl disposed of SCCC in the seventh to pick up the shutout. She allowed four hits, walked two and struck out four.

“She got into her rhythm early and dominated the rest of the game,” said Mendenhall. 

MCC had six hits in the game with three from Mascorro and two by Gutierrez.

GAME 2 – McCook CC 10, Seward County Comminity College 6: A Payton Kinsley solo home run in the first put MCC up 1-0.

The Lady Saints tied the game with a run in the second and the score remained 1-1 until the fourth when MCC freshman Paige Warren (Victoria, British Columbia) put MCC up 3-1 on a two-out bases loaded RBI single.

A Seward County homer cut the gap to 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth, but the Lady Indians took advantage of opportunities in the fifth, loading the bases on a SECC error and two walks and making it a 6-2 game on a two-run Rocio Mascorro single and an outfield error. Mascorro stole home to make it a 7-2 lead.

The Lady Saints scored three runs in the fifth on a pair of RBI doubles. Freshman Kaliyah St. Amand (Duncan, British Columbia) pitched the first 4.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits, one walk and eight strikeouts. Lexi Knapp came on in relief with one out in the fifth.

“Kaliyah threw great,” said Mendenhall. “We had a few defensive mistakes in the game, but we had a better offensive showing.” 

MCC’s offense responded in the sixth with an RBI-single from sophomore Anna Elliott (Calgary, Alberta) to give MCC an 8-5 lead. MCC added to the lead in the seventh, taking advantage of another SECC error with a two-run home run by Laila Gutierrez to put MCC up 10-5.

Seward County got a solo home run in the seventh, but Knapp closed out the game with a save, pitching 2.2 innings, allowing four hits, no walks, one earned run and one strikeout.

MCC had 13 hits in the game with four from Mascorro and two by Knapp.