Lady Indians lose CWS opener 7-0; face elimination Tuesday

OXFORD, Ala. – After Alabama rains pushed back the start of the NJCAA D-1 Softball College World Series by an hour, a 90-minute rain-delay after the top of the third inning combined to help prevent the McCook Community College softball team from getting any traction Monday. MCC lost 7-0 to San Jacinto College. The Lady Indians will face an elimination game Tuesday at 5:45 p.m.

"It was just kind of a weird day all around from the beginning," said MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall. "The field we were supposed to warm up on at 9:15 a.m. was flooded and then we had the two rain delays and just could not get into a consistent routine at the plate."

The Ravens got off to a 2-0 lead just nine pitches into the game getting a leadoff triple, a single and a double but MCC reclaimed a little momentum after the double when freshman centerfielder Josie Wright retrieved the ball and threw to freshman shortstop Brooklynn Gillen (McCook) to pick off the runner at second base. MCC starting pitcher Paige Warren then caught a popup and struck out the final hitter to get out of the inning.

San Jacinto loaded the bases in the second on three singles, but Warren induced an inning-ending groundout.

MCC was held hitless through two innings.

"I feel like we had a lot of nerves," said Mendenhall. 

Warren walked the leadoff Raven in the third and the runner advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Warren walked a second batter then got a groundout for the second out with runners at second and third base. With an 0-2 pitch to the next batter, Warren had to leave the game with an illness. Freshman Hannah Schneider (Alliance, Neb.) came on to strikeout out the batter on two pitches to get out of the inning.

Warren, went 2.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits, two walks and a strikeout. She later returned to the batting order.

Sophomore Kashlin Beck (Claflin, Kan.) led off the MCC third inning with the Lady Indians' first hit of the game, but the Tribe went out in order.

San Jacinto added an unearned run in the fourth to lead 3-0 when rain forced a 90-minute postponement. When play resumed in the bottom of the fourth, MCC got a one-out single from freshman Lyndsay Keogh (freshman, Surrey, British Columbia) but left her stranded.

The Ravens got a two-out single in the fifth to score two runs to lead 5-0. The Indians put two runners aboard via singles in the home-half of the fifth from Beck and freshman Lacyn Keller (McCook), but again, MCC could not push a run home.

In the sixth, San Jac added one run to lead 6-0. Keough singled in the bottom of the frame, but the Lady Indians were held scoreless. The Ravens made it 7-0 with a run in the seventh and MCC was held to a Beck single in the seventh.

Schneider went 4.1 innings, allowing six hits, two walks, four earned runs and she struck out three.

Beck led MCC with three hits, Keough had two and Keller one – all singles.

San Jacinto improves to 42-24 and will take on top-rated and No. 1 seed Florida SouthWestern (54-4) at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The Lady Indians spent about six and a half hours at Choccolocco Park Monday – with 2.5 of those hours spent in rain delays.

Rain washed out two of the eight games scheduled for Monday. In other action College of Southern Idaho beat Dodge City 4-3, Gaston topped Wabash Valley 3-1, Iowa Western beat Arizona Western 3-1, Eastern Florida State was a 2-1 winner over Trinity Valley and Seminole State beat Volunteer State 5-4.

Games 7 and 8 were postponed to Tuesday and will start at 9 a.m. Those games include No. 7 Paris JC taking on No. 10 McLennan and No. 6 Odessa taking on No. 11 Santa Fe.

There is a 35-to-40 percent chance of rain (.15 predicted throughout the day) between when the first two of 10 games start at 9 a.m. Tuesday through 5 p.m. before the forecast tapers off to no rain after 7 p.m. Barring any delays, MCC (52-8) will play a 5:45 p.m. game against the loser of the Tuesday's 1:15 p.m. game between No. 2 Northwest Florida State (55-5) and No. 15 Iowa Western Community College.

Other than the rain, this is the same scenario MCC faced a year ago in Arizona when the No. 16 Lady Indians dropped a first-round game 4-2 to No. 17 Crowder Community College then came back in the elimination bracket to win three straight games over top 11 ranked teams.

"Last year we lost the first game and won three in a row," said Mendenhall. "We will get back on track."

Back in McCook, college officials will host another watch party Tuesday at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center. College staff will serve hot dogs and chips. It is open to the public. More rain is forecast for Alabama, so game time could be pushed back. Check the McCook Community College Facebook page and the MCC Softball Page for weather updates and game time changes.

Up-to-date information about MCC softball including up-to-date schedule and changes, livestream links for home games, rosters, photos, statistics and more can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com

2026 NJCAA D-1 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
Oxford, Alabama
Choccolocco Park

Monday, May 25
Game 1 – No. 17 San Jacinto 7, No. 16 McCook 0
Game 2 – No. 13 Southern Idaho 4, No. 20 Dodge City 3
Game 3 – No. 14 Gaston College 3, No. 19 Wabash Valley 1
Game 4 – No. 15 Iowa Western 3, No. 18 Arizona Western 0
Game 5 – No. 9 Eastern Florida State 2, No. 8 Trinity Valley 1
Game 6 – No. 5 Seminole State 5, No. 12 Volunteer State 4
Game 7 – No. 7 Paris JC vs. No. 10 McLennan, Championship Field, postponed to Tuesday
Game 8 – No. 6 Odessa vs. No. 11 Santa Fe, postponed to Tuesday

Tuesday, May 26

Game 7 – No. 7 Paris JC vs. No. 10 McLennan, Championship Field, 9 a.m.
Game 8 – No. 6 Odessa vs. No. 11 Santa Fe, Field 2, 9 a.m.
Game 9 – No. 4 Temple vs. Southern Idaho, Field 2, 11 a.m.
Game 10 – No. 1 Florida SouthWestern vs. San Jacinto, Championship Field, 11 a.m.,
Game 11 – No. 2 Northwest Florida State vs. Iowa Western, 1:15 p.m.
Game 12 – No. 3 Northeastern Alabama vs. Gaston College, Field 2, 1:15 p.m.
Game 13 – Wabash Valley vs. Game 9 loser, Championship Field, 3:30 p.m. (Elimination game)
Game 14 – Arizona Western vs. Game 10 loser, Field 2, 3:30 p.m. (Elimination game)
Game 15 – McCook vs. vs. Game 11 loser, Championship Field, 5:45 p.m. (Elimination game)
Game 16 – Dodge City vs. Game 12 loser, Field 2, 5:45 p.m. (Elimination game)

Wednesday, May 27
Games 17-28 – Games start at 9 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 28
Games 29-34 – All games on Championship Field

Friday, May 29
Games 35-37 – All games on Championship Field
Saturday, May 30
Games 38 and 39 (if necessary) – All games on Championship Field