The 10th-ranked McLennan Softball squad closed out the regular season with a dominating pair of victories over the Ranger Rangers on the road.
Game one was a 12-2 victory for McLennan with Brinly Maples picking up the run-rule win in the circle.
The first McLennan run came in the top of the first inning. Erin Plunkett singled and Riley Rutherford was hit by the pitch. Sydney Kirby then singled to score Plunkett.
Four more McLennan runs scored in the second. Jalie Neff singled and scored on a double by Maples. Taylor Meier singled to score Maples. Meier advanced to second on the throw, stole third and scored on a ground out by Plunkett. Rutherford then doubled and scored on a double by Rachel Wicker.
McLennan added two runs in the third. Chesnee Faile led off with a solo home run. Maples doubled, Kyle Heine was hit by the pitch and Meier singled to load the bases. Plunkett then grounded out to score Maples.
Five more McLennan runs scored in the fourth. Wicker singled, stole second and scored on a single by Kirby. Neff singled and both runners scored on a triple by Heine. Meier then tripled to score Heine, and Plunkett singled to score Meier.
Bryce Allen-Bourland's solo home run put Ranger on the board in the fourth.
The final Ranger run came in the bottom of the fifth. Jenna Cox singled and advanced to third on a pair of ground outs by Alyssa Robles and Hailey Scott. Miranda Lopez then singled to score Cox.
McLennan shut out Ranger 15-0 in the second game with Mattie Wolkow in the circle.
McLennan began the scoring with four runs in the top of the first. Plunkett walked and stole second and third. Kirby doubled to score Plunkett, Faile singled and Katia Reyes followed with a three-run homer.
Two more McLennan runs scored in the second. Meier walked, Plunkett singled and Kirby walked to load the bases. Wicker then singled to score Meier and Plunkett.
McLennan exploded for seven runs in the third inning. Neff singled, Madelyn McKinnon walked and Heine singled to load the bases. Meier reached on an error, scoring Neff. Plunkett singled to score McKinnon, and Kirby walked to score Heine. Wicker followed with a single to score Meier and Plunkett. Faile singled and Reyes also reached on an error, scoring Kirby. Wicker then scored on a sac fly by Neff.
Another McLennan run scored in the fourth as Meier singled, advanced on an error and score on a single by Plunkett.
The final McLennan run came in the top of the fifth. Emma Bradley-Tse and Rose Gonzales both singled. Heine then singled to score Bradley-Tse.
No. 10 McLennan 12, Ranger 2
McLennan 142 50 – 12 16 0
Ranger 000 11 – 2 4 0
Brinly Maples and Riley Rutherford. Payton Kadner, Chelsea Zizzo (3) and Hailey Scott. WP: Maples; LP: Kadner. Leading hitters – McLennan: Taylor Meier (3-4, 3B, 2 RBI), Erin Plunkett (2-4, 2 RBI), Rachel Wicker (2-3, 2B, RBI), Riley Rutherford (1-3, 2B), Sydney Kirby (2-4, 2 RBI), Chesnee Faile (1-4, HR, RBI)), Jalie Neff (2-3), Brinly Maples (2-3, 2 2B, RBI) and Kyla Heine (1-2, 3B, 2 RBI); Ranger: Bryce Allen-Bourland (1-2, HR, RBI) and Miranda Lopez (1-2, RBI). Record: McLennan 40-11 (26-5).
No. 10 McLennan 15, Ranger 0
McLennan 427 11 – 15 15 0
Ranger 000 00 – 0 4 3
Mattie Wolkow and Madelyn McKinnon. Sarah Gonzalez, Payton Kadner (2), Chelsea Zizzo (3), Promise Crews (5) and Kimberly Santiago. WP: Wolkow; LP: Kadner. Leading hitters – McLennan: Taylor Meier (1-4, RBI), Erin Plunkett (3-3, 2 RBI), Sydney Kirby (1-1, 2B, 2 RBI), Rachel Wicker (2-3, 4 RBI), Chesnee Faile (2-3), Katia Reyes (1-4, HR, 4 RBI), Jalie Neff (1-2, RBI) and Kyla Heine (2-4, RBI). Record: McLennan 41-11 (27-5).
