The MCC softball team hosted the Hawks of Northeast out of Norfolk, NE on Tuesday, April 17 for a double header. The Tigers were playing with just nine players and without top pitcher, McKayla Dawson, but showed plenty of offensive fire power in the two games.

Game 1

Game one featured four Tiger homeruns as they exploded for seventeen runs.

After Ashley Tennant got out of the first inning without surrendering any runs, the Tiger bats went to work right away as sophomore, Saydee Terrell took the first pitch from Madison McKewon deep to left-center field and put the Tigers on the board 1-0. Two batters later, Tennant helped her own cause with a solo shot to a nearly identical spot at Terrell's. The Tigers scored just the two runs in the bottom of the first, but it was a sign of things to come.

The Hawks did plenty of damage from the plate themselves and got started in the second inning. Lindsey Anderson led the inning off with a double and moved to third on a single by Chantel Julian. Lauryn Cardenas then walked to load the bases up for Abby Pierce. Pierce singled to score two runs and tie the game up at 2-2. A fielder's choice and single later and suddenly the Hawks were up 4-2 heading to the bottom of the second.

Not to be outdone. The Tigers put up four runs of their own in the second, all coming with two outs. Kaylee Hanks scored Nell Skeath on a sac fly, Terrell and Aliyah Scott reached on singles and were both driven in by a Tennant double. Tennant then scored on a Nicolette Dabbs single.

The two teams continued to trade high scoring innings until the game came to a close and the Tigers were up 17-12. Tennant shined for the Tigers at the plate as she reached base in all five of her at bats including two homeruns and finished the game with six RBI's.

Game 2

Game two was another high scoring affair as the two teams both got a lot of production from the top half of their lineups.

The Hawks got off to a strong start as they scored four runs in the top of the first without registering an extrabase hit. Instead, they chipped away with singles, walks, and fielder's choice en route to the strong opening frame.

The Tigers responded with three of their own though, but in different fashion. Ashley Tennant picked up where she left off and hit a two-run homer before Kylie Swan drove in Nicolette Dabbs who had reached on a double.

After the Hawks scored one in the top of the second, the Tigers pulled ahead in the home half of the inning. The inning started with Kaylee Hanks striking out looking. But Terrell then homered to pull the Tigers to within one. Two batters later, Scott doubled to extend the inning. An error by the Hawks third baseman then committed a costly error that kept the Tigers offense at the plate. DJ Schmidt then walked and Swan singled in Scott and the left fielder misplayed the ball to allow Dabbs to score. Nell Skeath struck out to end the inning, but no before the Tigers had scored three.

The home team never trailed again. They scored two more in the third and then four in the fifth. The fifth inning was highlighted by a grand slam by Schmidt after Tennant, Scott, and Dabbs had reached base.

The Tigers claimed game two 12-9 and have now won four of their last six contests.