Mendenhall gets 100th career win in Lady Indian sweep

LAMAR, Colo. – The McCook Community College softball swept two more games at Lamar Sunday to take the four-game series 4-0. MCC won 7-2 in the first game and took a 4-3 win in extra innings in the second game.

These were MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall’s 100^th and 101^st wins at McCook.

“We really didn’t have our best stuff today,” said Mendenhall. “We had to dig deep to come out on top, especially in Game 2.”

The Lady Indians scored four runs in the opening inning of Game 1 as Sadie Kahl (sophomore Calgary, Alberta) held Lamar to two runs. Kaliyah St. Amand (sophomore, Duncan, British Columbia) had a pair of doubles as part of her three-hit game and sophomore Anna Elliott (Calgary, Alberta) hit a two-run home run in the seventh.

“We had two great performances in the circle once again,” said Mendenhall. “I am proud of the grit this team has. They find ways to when we aren’t at our best.”

In Game 2 sophomore Lexi Knapp (Berthoud, Colo.) singled home Laila Gutierrez (sophomore, Seminole, Texas) in the eighth inning and the Lady Indians added another run on a wild pitch to improve MCC’s current win streak to eight games. St. Amand pitched seven innings for the win in the circle and Kahl came on in the eighth for the save.

Lamar falls to 2-18 in Region IX and 5-29 overall.

MCC continues its hold on first place in the Region IX standings with a 14-2 record. Otero is second at 15-5, Trinidad State is third at 9-7, Western Nebraska fourth at 8-6, Northeastern JC is fifth at 5-9, Luna sixth at 5-11 and Lamar seventh at 2-18.

The Lady Indians improve to 36-6 on the season and the team will be home for two games Wednesday starting at 2 p.m. against Hastings JV then host Trinidad State Friday and Saturday at the Jaycees Sports Complex with doubleheaders starting at noon Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.

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 7, Lamar 2: Laila Gutierrez started the offense with a one-out singled in the first inning, stole second and third and scored on a scored on a single by sophomore Lexi Knapp. Starting pitcher Sadie Kahl followed with an RBI-double and with two outs, Kaliyah St. Amand doubled in two to put the Lady Indians ahead 4-0.

St. Amand led off the MCC sixth with a double and later stole home as part of a double-steal with sophomore Angela Banzet (Surrey, British Columbia) stealing second base.

After the Lopes scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, MCC took a 7-1 lead on a two-out single by Kahl and a home run by Anna Elliott.

Kahl polished off the game in the seventh, allowing a run. She picked up the complete-game win allowing six hits and three walks, while striking out four.

MCC had 13 hits in the game with three by St. Amand and two each by Kahl and Knapp.

GAME 2 – McCook 4, Lamar 3 (8 innings): Laila Gutierrez singled with one out in the first, stole second and scored on line-drive single by Lexi Knapp to put MCC up 1-0.

Lamar tied the game in the second with a two-out walk and two-straight singles.

Gutierrez reached second base on a two-base Lamar error in the third, stole third base and scored on a single by Knapp to give MCC a 2-1 lead. The Runnin’ Lopes scored an unearned run in the bottom of the third to tie the game 2-2.

Neither team scored in the fourth through seventh innings which set up the extra-innings drama.

Kaliyah St. Amand allowed one earned run in her seven innings pitched, she allowed eight hits, three walks and struck out two.

Gutierrez was placed on second base to start the MCC eighth and came home on an RBI-single by Knapp. St. Amand and Paige Weiland had back-to-back two-out singles and pinch runner Olivia Moorhead (freshman, Hershey) came home with what proved to be the game-winner on a wild pitch.

Kahl came on to pitch the eighth with a runner placed on second base. After a groundout advanced the runner Otero scored on a single. Kahl struck out the next hitter, but an MCC error put runners on first and second base before Kahl induced a game-ending groundout to preserve the MCC win. Kahl allowed one unearned run on one hit and a strikeout in her inning of work.

MCC had 10 hits in the game with three by Weiland and two each by Gutierrez and Knapp.