Softballers string together three wins

By Jayden Hewitt
Sports Editor

The LCC women’s softball team returned from its spring trip with three convincing wins.

On March 16, the Lady Stars won 8-0 in five innings over the Alma JV team before having the second game canceled.

LCC then swept its conference doubleheader in Benton Harbor at Lake Michigan College on Tuesday, March. 21, winning 16-2 in the first game and 17-4 in the second.

The first game featured a whopping five home runs from the Lady Stars. Those home runs were hit by infielder/outfielder Peyton Lehman, catcher/infielder Paige Antcliff, pitcher/outfielder Madison Travis, catcher/infielder Jenna Morse and outfielder Raygan Williams. Williams also hit a home run in the second game.

Head coach Marc Kibby spoke about the team's dominant performances in all three games.

“Since we got back from our spring trip, our game at Alma, we started relaxing, understanding our swings,” Kibby said. “(We were) becoming more aggressive at the plate and we finally got a big hit in the first game that put us ahead 3-2. Then everyone relaxed and the hits kept coming.”

The Lady Stars also put together some fantastic pitching performances to go with the 33 runs scored between both games.

“Morgen (Ahlfeld) has thrown the ball well all year (despite) a lack of support with our bats,” Kibby said. “Mo (Morgen) put pressure on herself; that she had to shut everyone down. With the bats swinging well, Mo threw her best game and had a career night of 15 (strikeouts).

“Maddy (Madison Travis), had her second career start and threw an excellent game on the mound as well as helping herself, swinging a hot bat in the two games.”

It was a sigh of relief for LCC after coming back 1-13 from the spring trip against a gauntlet of talented rivals. Tough schedules are something Kibby chooses on purpose.

“I play an outrageous schedule when I go down south against really good teams to improve and get better, “Kibby said. “(We were) not swinging the bats well. Mental and defensive errors allowed us to come back with (a) not very good record. (But in) the Alma game, everything we talked about, we executed on.”

Kibby also mentioned that even with the losses, team bonding is also a key to the team’s spring trips.
The wins recent wins brought LCC’s record up to 4-13 overall, and to 2-0 in MCCAA Western Conference play.

LCC’s upcoming conference showdown will be the team’s first home games of the season in a doubleheader vs. Jackson College on Friday, March. 24 at Ranney Park on Lansing’s east side. Action is slated to begin at 3 p.m.