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Comets make progress despite loss
By Jason Peake
Daily Mail Sports Editor
NEVADA -- Despite dropping both games of a doubleheader to Mineral Area College on Tuesday, Cottey College softball coach Shelli Stanley was pleased with her team's continued improvement.
Mineral Area defeated Cottey 16-3 in the first game and then took game two 13-3 at a windy Bushwhacker Field.
But if you ask Stanley, she'll tell you her Comets are making progress in the right direction, especially offensively.
"We hit the ball a lot better today," Stanley said.
The team's defense was also a positive.
"We didn't have too many errors and that was good to see," Stanley said.
But while the Comets were able to produce more offense and limit mistakes in the field, visiting Mineral Area College put up 29 runs in two games.
"We're kind of struggling with our pitching," Stanley said. "We're leaving the ball up. We need to hit our spots better. Once we can get that figured out, we'll be okay."
In the opener, Nevada grad Lexi Johnson hit a home run for the Comets.
But the Cardinals got the bats going in a big way against Cottey pitcher Rachel Kennedy.
By the top of the fourth, Mineral Area led 11-1. Cottey got a run back in the bottom half of the frame. Kennedy, another Nevada product, doubled to center. After an out, Liz Bromley reached on an error and Kennedy came home to make it 11-2.
The Cardinals extended the lead in the fifth with five runs on five hits, a walk and a sac fly.
Cottey pushed a run across in the bottom half. Gabriela Torres singled, and after two outs, Stevie VanHorn reached on an error. Kelly Spong's grounder resulted in another error, Torres scored and it was 16-3. But MAC's Hannah Ghant retired Kennedy to end the game due to the run-rule.
In the second game, the Cardinals scored four runs in the first inning against Cottey's VanHorn.
Cottey cut into the lead right away in the bottom of the first. With one out, Johnson walked. After Spong was retired, Kennedy singled. Next, Bromley hit an RBI single into center, scoring Johnson and cutting the MAC lead to 4-1.
Mineral Area scored once in the second and then used a seven-run third inning to pull away at 12-1.
The Cardinals added another run in the fourth.
Cottey rallied a bit in the fifth. The team's shortstop, Johnson singled to start things off. Then Spong reached on a fielder's choice, with Johnson out at second. Kennedy also reached on a fielder's choice, and an error allowed the runners to move over.
Next, Bromley hit a line drive RBI single. Torres followed with an RBI single of her own, cutting the MAC lead to 13-3.
But Cottey's deficit was too big and MAC was able to get out of the inning and the game ended.
Bromley had two hits and two RBIs for the Comets in the second game, while Johnson reached base three times.
Mineral Area improves to 8-17 on the season.
Despite the losses, Stanley said she was proud of her team's effort.
"We showed some heart in the second game," Stanley said. "We proved that we can hit the ball and put the ball in play."
Cottey (0-6) travels to Kansas City, Kansas CC on Thursday, April 5.