The McLennan Softball team finished second in the nation after two-hard fought battles with the Florida SouthWestern Buccaneers on Championship Saturday at the NJCAA Division I Softball National Championship.
Florida SouthWestern took game one 4-2 to force the if-necessary game. Hailey Hudson took the loss in the opener.
Florida SouthWestern scored two runs in the bottom of the second. Pallas Potter and McKenzie Wittenberg singled. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Charlotte Drijvers. Taylor Jensen reached on an error, bringing Potter in to score, and Wittenberg scored on a wild pitch.
Two more Buccaneer runs scored in the third. Shenita Tucker singled and Feline Poot was hit by the pitch. Tucker stole third and scored on an error. Potter then singled to score Poot.
McLennan got on the board with a Riley Rutherford home run in the top o the fourth.
The final McLennan run came in the top of the sixth as Erin Plunkett doubled and scored on a single by Rutherford.
McLennan came from behind in came two but came up just short, falling to SouthWestern 7-6. Anissa Arredondo took the loss in the circle.
The Buccaneers began the scoring with a run in bottom of the third. Larua Vigna walked to lead off the inning. Tucker and Poot both singled to loads the bases. Vigna then scored on a sacrifice fly by Potter.
Two more Florida SouthWestern runs scored in the second as Carys Platt singled and scored on a Sterre Den Duijn home run.
The Buccaneers added a run in the third. Poot walked and Potter was hit by the pitch. Wittenberg then singled to score Poot.
McLennan got on the board with two runs in the fourth as Plunkett singled and scored on homer by Caitlyn Wong.
Florida SouthWestern responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth as Den Duijn doubled and scored on a fielder's choice by Tucker.
McLennan tied the game with three runs in the top of the fifth. Jalie Neff was hit by the pitch and replaced by pinch runner Rachel Warren. Sidney Campion singled, and both runners advanced on a ground out by Jenny Robison. Plunkett walked, loading the bases. Rutherford singled to score Warren, and Herzinger singled to score Campion and Plunkett.
The Buccaneers regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Platt and Den Duijn both walked and advanced on a passed ball. Platt then scored on an error. Poot followed with a single to score Den Duijn.
Rutherford's solo home run for McLennan in the top of the seventh rounded out the scoring.
McLennan ends the season with an overall record of 59-8. Hailey Hudson, Riley Rutherford, Caitlyn Wong and Jenny Robison were named to the all-tournament team, and Wong was also named the Offensive Player of the Tournament.
Florida SouthWestern 4, McLennan 2
McLennan 000 101 0 – 2 5 2
Florida SouthWestern 022 000 x – 4 9 0
Hailey Hudson, Mattie Wolkow (3) and Julia Herzinger. Belle Sardja and Taylor Jensen. WP: Sardja; LP: Hudson. Leading hitters – McLennan: Erin Plunkett (1-3, 2B) and Riley Rutherford (2-3, HR, 2 RBI). Florida SouthWestern: Laura Vigna (2-4), Pallas Potter (3-3, RBI), Taylor Jensen (0-3, RBI) and Carys Platt (2-3). Record: McLennan 59-7 (30-2).
Florida SouthWestern 7, McLennan 6
McLennan 000 230 1 – 6 7 2
Florida SouthWestern 121 120 x – 7 9 1
Cheyenne Floyd, Mattie Wolkow (3), Hailey Hudson (5), Anissa Arredondo (5) and Julia Herzinger. Kylee Graham, Baylee Haggard (5), Belle Sareja (5) and Taylor Jensen. WP: Sardja; LP: Arredondo. Leading hitters – McLennan: Riley Rutherford (2-4, HR, 2 RBI), Julia Herzinger (1-2, 2 RBI) and Caitlyn Wong (1-2, HR, 2 RBI); Florida SouthWestern: Laura Vigna (0-3, RBI), Shenita Tucker (1-4, RBI), Feline Poot (3-3, RBI), Pallas Potter (0-0, RBI), McKenzie Wittenberg (2-3, RBI) and Sterre Den Duijn (2-2, 2B HR, 2 RBI). Record: McLennan 59-8 (30-2).
