MHCC calls it even with Clackamas

The Northwest Athletic Conference set regional softball play in motion last weekend, and many schools found themselves in territory similar to last year’s playoff bracket – namely, Mt. Hood.

The Saints hosted rival Clackamas on Saturday, a tasty matchup for the Cougars who assuredly sought at least a modicum of revenge after getting dispatched by MHCC head coach Meadow McWhorter’s team in the NWAC semifinals last year.

The first game of the doubleheader set the Saints’ ace in the circle, Kayla Byers, against Emily Marchbanks, arguably the Cougars’ best. Marchbanks leads her team in wins, ERA and strikeouts, while Byers was coming into the start with a 5-0 record and a league leading 0.71 ERA.

Marchbanks certainly played the part, in dismantling Mt. Hood’s offense to the tune of six hits allowed, two free passes against 12 punch outs in a complete-game, shutout effort. Byers suffered her worst start of the year, but by her standards, it doesn’t take a whole lot of damage to classify it as such. She has been such a force this spring that the four runs she gave up in 8.1 innings matched her season total…in 38.1 previous innings. Byers still struck out a season-high 13 Cougars, but Marchbanks stifled any threat the Saints posed and Clackamas won, 4-0.

The second game was even more tightly contested, with the Saints starting strong behind pitcher Kendal Cox, building a 3-0 lead after three innings. Darian Lindsey and Tiara Champ notched two hits apiece and each drove in a run in the third inning after Courtney Cabana’s sacrifice brought home Megan Marcy in the second.

Mt. Hood appeared to be in control, until Clackamas’ threat in the fourth turned the tide. Cougars’ catcher Ashley Dugan lifted a Cox offering into the outfield for what appeared to be a routine fly ball, but it somehow stayed up long enough to carry over the fence for a three-run homer. The Saints couldn’t return the favor, and lost, 5-3, to fall to a 2-2 record in the South Region.

The region in general had a wild week. Another road team, Lower Columbia, dropped contender Southwestern Oregon in a two-game set, and Clackamas went on to lose one of two against the same Chemeketa team that Mt. Hood trounced 20-0 just a few days prior.

There is still a long road ahead, and the Saints have the talent to beat anybody in conference; expect the craziness to continue.

Advocate Staff