The Saints softball team ran its win streak to 26 games by beating Chemeketa Community College (14-19, 3-7 South Region) twice to remain unbeaten for the season, ahead of a huge double-header against Clackamas Community College (27-1, 8-0 South) for the top spot in the region.
A double-header with Chemketa was scheduled last Saturday, but Game Two was rescheduled to Monday due to poor weather and field conditions.
In the Saturday game, the Saints earned a comfortable win by beating Chemeketa 5-1 in just five innings. The teams were scoreless going into the third inning and that’s when the offense came to life as the Saints scored twice in the third and added two more runs in the fourth.
Freshman first baseman Megan Reed had a big contribution in the win, as she went 2-for-3, hitting a single in the second inning and then her sixth home run of the season in the fifth inning to seal the game.
Sophomore pitcher Kristen Crawford came out energized, as she allowed only three hits in her five innings of duty. She allowed no earned runs, walked two batters and also struck out two.
The offense came out strong as the Saints pounded nine hits, compared to Chemeketa’s three. “Our offense did a phenomenal job at the plate and with that performance on Saturday, it gave them confidence going into the second match,” said MHCC head coach Meadow McWhorter.
Game Two on Monday was a much closer win for the Saints, against Chemeketa, 4-3. The teams were even at 3-3 entering the seventh inning after the Saints tied the game in the fifth, with two runs in three hits.
Sophomore shortstop Teauna Hughes, who went for 3-for-4 with two extra-base hits, scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to keep the Saints undefeated.
“Teauna is our leader and leads in so many ways by the amount of extra work she puts in, her 100 percent effort on the field, and her passion for the game,” said McWhorter.
Sophomore pitcher Ann-Marie Guischer struck out four, gave up 4 hits and allowed two runs in the first four innings. Kristen Crawford recorded her 14th win of the year as she came on in relief and struck out three batters and allowed three hits and one run in the last three innings of the game.
“The win was a combined effort between the two as Ann-Marie threw well for four innings and Kristen came in and did an excellent job keeping hitters off balance and hitting her spots in the rain,” said McWhorter.
Chelsea Spainer, Kasidee Lemberger and Hughes contributed to the win, as they combined for eight hits and four RBIs.
“The second game was a good test for us because it was a battle through adverse conditions,” said McWhorter, who even with the win streak, still finds opportunities for the team to improve. The Saints “are still working to get better every practice and (I tell them), ‘Don’t worry about the undefeated streak because the only thing that matters is the preparation for our next opponent,’ ” she said.
The Saints travel to Clackamas today for a double-header rescheduled from Tuesday, due to bad weather. Clackamas is on a 22- game winning streak of its own, and remains tied with MHCC for first place in the South.
The two games against Clackamas will surely test the Saints’ undefeated season, but McWhorter is confident in her team, and knows the strategy – and motiviation – to defeat the Cougars.
“Our athletes will be ready to play, they’ve been waiting for this match-up,” she said
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