Softballers blast Mid Michigan College

By Michael Leek
Sports Editor

Highlighted by a hitting clinic and a strong pitching performance from freshman Kyra Shadduck, the LCC softball team won a pair of games against Mid Michigan College on Tuesday, April 9 at Ranney Park in Lansing.

LCC won the first game 10-2 in six innings and the second game 11-3 in six innings. These two wins improved the Stars’ record to 11-3 in the MCCAA Western Conference and to 19-3 overall.

In the first game, Shadduck pitched all six innings. She had her season high in strikeouts with 12 and gave up six hits, one of them being a home run.

“I finally started to trust myself and my pitches,” Shadduck said. “I played loosely and didn’t let the little things get to me.”

Shadduck said her pitching strategy approaching any game stays the same and has worked since the team returned to Michigan following its spring road trip down south.

“I work the umpire’s strike zone throughout the game and learn from their previous at-bats,” Shadduck said. “My strategy remains the same: hitting my spots and trusting myself.”

LCC scored two runs in the first two innings of game one, and kept Mid Michigan from scoring until the sixth inning.

Mid Michigan scored two runs in the sixth, but the Stars scored eight, ending the game on the mercy rule.

Sophomore Jenna Morse swung the bat well for LCC, hitting two home runs and driving in three. Sophomore teammate Paige Antcliff hit one home run and had four RBIs. Sophomore Carly McLaren went three for four at the plate and brought in two RBIs for the Stars.

LCC freshman infielder Abby Fichtner (4), while lying on her stomach, tosses to  sophomore Jenna Morse (22) to get a fancy force out a second base during a home game against Mid-Michigan College at Ranney Park on Tuesday, April 9.  Photo by Kaitlyn Delaney

The second game was a similar story, with the Stars taking a small lead early in the second inning. They were able to keep Mid Michigan from scoring until the sixth inning while having huge fifth and sixth innings.

Sophomore Kelsey Merillat pitched all six innings for the Stars and only allowed four hits, with two of them being home runs.

Batting was LCC’s strong suit again, scoring 11 runs without hitting a home run. They totaled 14 hits with Morse, Antcliff and McLaren all recording two.

Stars sophomore Madison Travis recorded two hits and brought in four RBIs. Freshman Isabelle Robinson also recorded two hits for LCC and had three RBIs.

LCC Head Coach Marc Kibby said the morale and chemistry of the team has been good.

“We’re getting it and we are together as a team,” Kibby said. “That is going to help us in the long run. Not only are they working at softball, they are working as a team.”

The Stars have a two-day break before their next game against Marian University Ancilla on Friday, April 12. It will be two home games, one at 3 p.m., and the other at 5 p.m.

Kibby said he will continue to emphasize working on the team’s mentality on defense going into the next two games.

“The best thing that we’re trying to tell them is, and we have to practice this and not just talk about it,” Kibby explained. “You have to have a mentality on defense that every pitch the ball is going to be hit to you.”