Cottey stays unbeaten after Hannibal-LaGrange sweep

Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Cottey College sophomore Alyssa Montoya delivers a pitch during the Comets' sweep over Hannibal-LaGrange University Tuesday at Vanek Family Memorial Field.
Photo by Hank Layton | Daily Mail Sports Reporter

At 8-0, the Cottey College softball team is off to its best start in program history and has head coach Mark Skapin recalling the team’s historic 18-game win streaks of recent seasons’ past.

But as much as he’s looking backward, Skapin also has his sights set on the future.

“I think we can probably get into double digits here and maybe push it into the 14, 15 range. We’ll see what happens. But ultimately that’s not what we’re about right now. We’re about trying to build for May,” said Skapin, whose team swept Hannibal-LaGrange 11-1, 9-0 Tuesday afternoon at Vanek Family Memorial Field to extend its season-opening win streak to eight games. “Improvement every day is all we’re asking for, and if we do that we’ll probably get up to 15 or so.”

Sophomore pitcher Lacey Cruz continued her dominating ways in the circle in the run rule-shortened opener, facing the minimum number of batters through five innings for the second time this season.

“I wouldn’t say she was as electric today, so she didn’t have the strikeout totals as she had on the weekend,” said Skapin, whose ace struck out 15 Bellevue University batters on Friday but relied more on the defense behind her against the Trojans on Tuesday — a defense that has only logged one error so far this season — as well as the Comet offense — which belted four home runs in the rout. “The bats just poured it on quick. We scored in big chunks, so it made Lacy kind of cruise a little bit, I would say.”

Game two was at least a little closer of a contest, but once again the dingers were aplenty.

Sophomore Lauren Johnson opened the scoring in the first inning with a three-run bomb to right field, which plated Karina Ramirez and Melina Bueno.

Freshman Elizabeth Thomas then led off the second inning with a solo shot over the fence in centerfield.

After a scoreless third frame, sophomore Aryana Palencia drove in Ramirez and Bueno with a two-out single and an error by Hannibal-LaGrange’s centerfielder.

Pinch-hitter Madison Hyder, another freshman, ended the game in the fifth with a double that scored Alyssa Montoya and Rachael Young, who was pinch-running for Thomas. Thomas collected another RBI earlier in the inning with a single to center that allowed Ginny Nordin (pinch-running for Skylar Chappell) to score.

Montoya threw a complete game for the Comets, giving up just one hit and striking four.

The sweep was a no-doubter, but Skapin wasn’t sure it would be.

“I was honestly worried about a letdown today after the huge games that we had on Saturday,” said Skapin, whose squad over the weekend was nearly handed its first loss by Bellevue but managed to hang on 5-4, after beating Langston University 4-1. “Those games had a playoff-level intensity, so we preached all day yesterday and today, ’No letdowns, no letdowns, play against yourselves, not the opponent.’ So, I think there was a little bit of a drop from our intensity level and our play from Saturday. But overall it’s definitely the best start that Cottey’s ever had in their softball history.”

Against Langston, sophomore slinger Kristen Hurst helped her cause in the circle with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, including a game-tying solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Teammate Caitlyn Morgan gave Cottey the lead in the fifth by scoring on a passed ball, and then Ramirez hit a sacrifice fly to plate one more. Johnson capped off the inning with an RBI double. Cruz kept the Lady Lions at bay with two scoreless innings for her first save of the season.

In Saturday’s nightcap, Bellevue led 4-0 in the fifth inning before Morgan belted a solo home run and Ramirez hit a two-run homer that bounced off the top of the fence in left field.

Montoya came on in relief and pitched three hitless innings, which allowed the Comets to come back courtesy of a pinch-hit, game-tying bomb to left field by Chappell in the seventh, followed by a bases-loaded, walk-off bunt squeeze by Hurst — a play the Comets used to win Region Championships in 2017 and 2018.

“Ultimately, I think this team is playing together really, really well,” said Skapin, whose team will host Ecclesia College for two games on Friday before playing four against Culver-Stockton on Saturday and Sunday (also at home). “They came together a little bit faster this spring than some teams in the past, and that makes a big difference. They’re having a lot more fun than usual. The energy in the dugout’s a little different. They’re goofy. They’re light with it, which translates to a relaxed, loose attitude on the field. So, those big moments didn’t bother them.”

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