Lady Mustangs' Softball Wins Eight Straight

RICK PECK/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS McDonald County High School honored senior members of the Lady Mustang softball team following their 11-1 win over Aurora on Sept. 10 at MCHS. From left to right are Deorica Zamora and Alexa Hopkins.
RICK PECK/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS McDonald County High School honored senior members of the Lady Mustang softball team following their 11-1 win over Aurora on Sept. 10 at MCHS. From left to right are Deorica Zamora and Alexa Hopkins.

The McDonald County Lady Mustang softball team scored four runs in the first inning on the way to a 7-0 win over Neosho on Sept. 14 at MCHS.

The win was the eighth straight for the Lady Mustangs to start the 2020 season.

Madeline McCall picked up the win for McDonald County, shutting out Neosho on three hits while striking out 10 and walking three.

Carlee Cooper got hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the first. Katelynn Townsend and Reagan Myrick singled before McCall singled in a run with a second run scoring on an error. Alexa Hopkins drove in the third run of the inning with a hit before Deorica Zamora drove in the final run of the inning with a ground out.

McDonald County added single runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings on hits by Cooper, Townsend, Adyson Leach and two by Hopkins.

"I felt like this was our most complete game of the year," said coach Heath Alumbaugh. "We started out clean defensively and kept that up the rest of the game. We were able to put a four-spot on the board in the first inning and then kept adding on. Single runs put a team down and take the air out of their sails. Mo (McCall) did what Mo does. She threw really well tonight. The girls are playing well and I think we have gotten better every game. We just have to keep it rolling."

Hopkins finished with three hits and Townsend two to lead McDonald County at the plate, while Cooper, Myrick, McCall, Leach and Zamora finished with one each.

McDonald County took its 8-0 record to Seneca on Sept. 15 before returning home to face Cassville on Sept. 17. Game time is 4:30 p.m.

Aurora

McDonald County spotted Aurora a 1-0 lead before scoring 11 consecutive runs to claim an 11-1 win over the Lady Houns on Sept. 10 at MCHS.

Hopkins went the five-inning distance to get the win, allowing one run on five hits while striking out six and walking nobody.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, McDonald County took control by scoring six runs.

Cooper tripled before walks to Townsend and Myrick loaded the bases. McCall tied the game with a sacrifice fly before back-to-back walks to Dodson and Hopkins drove in the second.

A run scored on a wild pitch while walks to Zamora and Marianna Salas drove in another before Cooper singled in the final two runs of the inning.

Zamora's single and Cooper's second triple of the game accounted for a run in the third.

McDonald County ended the game in the fifth with four runs on hits by Zamora, Cooper, Townsend and a walk-off two-run single by Neveah Dodson.

Cooper finished with four hits and Zamora had two to lead the Lady Mustangs. Townsend, Hopkins and Dodson added one hit each.

Following the game, McDonald County honored Hopkins and Zamora during Senior Night activities.

RICK PECK/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS McDonald County catcher Reagan Myrick puts down a bunt during the Lady Mustangs' 7-0 win over Neosho on Sept. 14 at MCHS.
RICK PECK/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS McDonald County catcher Reagan Myrick puts down a bunt during the Lady Mustangs' 7-0 win over Neosho on Sept. 14 at MCHS.