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Photo by Brett Stanley/The Advocate
Sophomore infielder Nicole Colpron awaits the pitch while sophomore outfielder Bre Thomas (1) prepares to run during the Saints first game against Concordia University Saturday. The Saints lost 7-6 but won the second game 2-1.
Softball kicks off season with 3 wins at home
The Advocate
MHCC's softball team came away with three wins in four games after their opening weekend, with a 2-1 win and a 7-6 loss against Concordia University Cavaliers Saturday and two shutout wins against the Grays Harbor College Chokers (8-0 and 17-0) Sunday.
Both doubleheaders were at the MHCC field, and Head Coach Meadow McWhorter said, “We take a lot of pride in our house, our home field, so our competitive drive was high.”
As for the Concordia games, McWhorter said, “From a teacher standpoint and a coach standpoint, I couldn't have asked for a better doubleheader.”
McWhorter said one thing that impressed her against Concordia were the hitters in the bottom half of the lineup. “So many of the hits were generated by the bottom half of our lineup and that was something we lacked last year.”
In the Grays Harbor doubleheader, McWhorter said the team “turned it on in the second game” and that “everyone got a hit both games.”
McWhorter said the team was “out of position” this weekend, with Ari VanHorn at shortstop and Chelsea Schriber and Kayla Anderson at first base. Jade-Marie Kealiinohomoku, the shortstop, was out for the weekend with a thumb injury, but is cleared to play this weekend in the Inter-Region Tournament.
McWhorter said, “I really credit our sophomore leadership” with making the changes go easier. “I think that anyone watching our team will never know we were out of position.”
The Saints kick off their Inter-Region Tournament this Saturday at Salmon Creek Park in Vancouver, Wash.
“We are looking forward to this weekend. We are going to play some good NWAACC teams,” McWhorter said. “We open up the weekend against Bellevue (Bellevue College Bulldogs at 10 a.m.). They are the reigning Northern Region champions.”
The Saints go up against South Puget Sound Community College's Clippers at 2 p.m. Saturday and Centralia College Trailblazers (at 9 a.m.) and Grays Harbor (11 a.m.) on Sunday.
Aside from tournament play, McWhorter said, “This weekend is going to be tough because it’s the weekend before finals week.” However, she said the team has done a lot of preparation and increased their study halls.
“They utilize each other a lot. That's been a long-standing tradition,” McWhorter said. “Not only do we help each other on the field but we help each other on the field and in life.”
McWhorter said the Saints played against Bellevue during fall ball, but added, “We struggled a little in the fall but we showed a lot of promise.” She said that the team had only had four practices prior to the fall ball game, however, and has improved since then.
She said, “We showed so much togetherness. We played as one in our first weekend. As long as we stay hungry and never get content, we'll have a very successful year.”
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