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Bulldogs devour Bison win plans with big hits, errors
McCOOK, Neb. — McCook’s 5-0 first inning might have been a knockout punch against many softball teams Tuesday night.
Not the way North Platte Bulldogs are swinging counter shots these days.
Fresh off their home Classic tourney title, the Bulldogs wiped out early five and four-run Bison leads before blasting to a 24-13 victory at McCook’s Jaycees Complex.
Those Bulldogs (16-9 record) blasted three doubles, a triple and one Abby Orr home run bouncing off high off the pavement beyond McCook’s center field fence.
Even worse was how the second night of autumn featured far too many potential outs falling from or slipping past McCook Bison gloves.
The Bison (6-14) suffered nine defensive errors — many during a 10-run sixth inning. North Platte turned the tight 14-11 battle into 24-11.
“As pretty as the first game was against them,” Bison coach Jason Cochran said, referring to a thrilling Bison Invite final on August 31 where the rivals were tied 0-0 through six innings. “The second game was just ugly for both teams. Unfortunately, it fell their (North Platte’s) way.”
Another North Platte win seemed unlikely after the first Bison batters reached base safely and five motored home.
Senior Trinity Raburn’s leadoff single started the first-inning flurry.
Shortstop Brolin Morgan walked and No. 3 batter Kori Uerling put down a good bunt — really good considering no Bulldog covered first in time to retire Uerling.
The bases were already loaded, setting up senior Kaylin Martin to play her usual strong clean-up role.
Sure enough, Martlin singled in McCook’s first run.
Classmate Candace Coleman also continued her recent trend of sizzling shots off outfielder’s glove.
Coleman crushed a ball the Bulldog right fielder whiffed at as both Morgan and courtesy runner Abbie Johnson scored.
Kennedy Walter quickly started her three-hit, three-RBI evening with a sharp shot off the first baseman’s mitt.
Coleman touched home and Martin also scored thanks to an errant pitch that made it McCook 5-zip.
North Platte zipped across six runs before the next half-inning was finished. The Bulldogs ripped line drives or bounced perfectly-placed hits just past Bison infielders.
They totaled 17 hits, though McCook shook off the first barrage with another five-run inning.
One pitch made it 6-6 because Martin sent that softball sailing over the center-field fence.
Coleman and Walter both singled before Brooke Evans put down a fine bunt.
The sacrifice promptly paid off when Miller hit a “gapper” to score two runs while she hustled and slid to her triple.
Raburn’s ensuing RBI-grounder scored Miller for a 10-6 McCook advantage. The big home crowd sadly saw those next three innings belong to North Platte. No fewer than 18 runs raced home to end this back-and-forth battle.
Coleman (three hits, two RBIs, two runs), Martin (two hits, two runs, two RBIs), Raburn (two hits, RBI) and Miller (hit, run, two RBIs) joined Walter in leading an 11-hit Bison attack.
Orr totaled seven RBIs for the Bulldogs while Aspen Nelson ripped four hits (four runs, three RBIs) and Sydney Barner scored four times with four more RBIs.
The Bulldogs have now won 11 of 12 since starting just 5-8.
McCook can recover quickly since the Bison play two more games on Thursday at Ogallala.
The Bison are set to play a 4 p.m. MDT game against Chase County, who’s 1-15 following two losses on Tuesday.
McCook will then play a 6 p.m. scheduled contest vs. Scottsbluff.