Softball sweeps competition; busy upcoming weekend

The Saints softball team continues to show dominance in the young 2014 season, as they now stand 8-0 (with one victory due to forfeit).

The past weekend was a busy one for Mt. Hood: They were scheduled to play Blue Mountain Community College on Friday, Walla Walla Community College on Saturday, and Columbia Basin Community College on Sunday.

Mt. Hood wound up facing only Blue Mountain and Walla Walla after the Columbia Basin match-up was cancelled due to rain, but easily took each of the four contests played.

On Friday, the team went to work on Blue Mountain, taking back-to-back wins, 10-1 and 12-0.

In the first game, the Saints’ offense took charge, posting five runs in the first inning. Mt. Hood added three more runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run home run by sophomore shortstop Teauna Hughes.

The Timberwolves scored in the bottom of the fourth inning, but already trailed 8-1. In the fifth, Mt. Hood added two more runs, to produce the final score. Sophomore pitcher Kristen Crawford tossed a complete game for the Saints, finishing with four strikeouts while giving up three hits and the one run. MHCC finished with 12 hits and zero errors.

The second game against Blue Mountain saw more of the same. Mt. Hood scored six runs in the third inning to push its lead to 10-0, and the rout was on.

Mt. Hood finished with 12 hits but what stood out most is that Blue Mountain failed to get a base hit during the shortened game (only 5 innings) off sophomore Saints pitchers Ann-Marie Guischer and Nicole Kellams.

Freshman Ashlee Mueller hit her first home run of the season and added four RBI’s. Hughes and freshman Kasidee Lemberger each had three hits, including two doubles apiece and a triple for Hughes. Freshman third baseman Chelsea Spanier also hit a triple.

On Saturday, Mt. Hood continued its hot play against Walla Walla, sweeping the games, 11-0 and 17-6. The Saints combined for eight home runs and 24 RBIs on the day.

Freshman batters added the power surge against Walla Walla. Spanier, Kelsey Reams and Megan Reed hit home runs in the opener. In the second game, Reed added two more homers, and Lemberger and freshman Mercedes Green went deep also.

Mt. Hood finished with 18 hits, continuing the consistent hitting it has shown all season.

“We have tremendous depth in our offensive lineup,” said Saints head coach Meadow McWhorter. “Our hitters have done a great job of not letting one at-bat affect the next at-bat. They have showed poise, confidence and aggressiveness.”

The veteran head coach won’t get carried away, though.

“We know it is only the beginning,” McWhorter said, taking a long view of the season. “It is not about how you start, but how you continue to grow and how you finish.”

She said the Saints need to “continue to work on slowing the game down in tense situations — staying controlled.” Rainy weather has hindered Mt. Hood’s practice time, she noted. “We also need more repetitions on the dirt. This week will be the first time we have been able to practice on our field.”

On Saturday the team heads into western Washington to take on Grays Harbor Community College. On Sunday they play Centralia College. Mt. Hood and Grays Harbor met on March 1, with Mt. Hood winning the first game, 15-7, and Grays Harbor forfeiting the second game.

“Our goal is to improve each game,” McWhorter said. “We know teams will always play us tough; we need to play at our level and never take a game off.”