Softball Team Wins Conference Games in Nevada, Sececa

The McDonald County Lady Mustangs softball team broke the .500 barrier for the first time this season with victories over Nevada and Seneca last week.

The Lady Mustangs improved to 6-5 overall, including a 2-0 mark in the Big 8 Conference after their 13-2 win on Sept. 7 at Seneca.

Alexa Hopkins picked up the win, allowing two runs in five innings on just three hits.

McDonald County took a 1-0 lead in the second on a single by Maddie Colvin, an error, and a wild pitch, before the Lady Mustangs broke the game open in the third with seven runs on five hits and two Seneca errors.

Cloee Helm and Rita Santillan singled to start the big inning before Kylie Helm drove in both with a double. Whitney Kinser singled in a run. A pair of errors and Colvin’s second hit of the game gave McDonald County an 8-0 lead.

McDonald County stretched its lead to 10-0 in the fifth on a triple by Kylie Helm, a single from Kinser and an RBI ground out by Colvin. Seneca scored both of its runs in the bottom half of the inning on a single and two McDonald County errors.

The Lady Mustangs added three runs in the sixth on singles by Cloee Helm and Hopkins and a triple by Kylie Helm.

Kylie Helm finished with four hits while Cloee Helm, Kinser and Maddie Colvin had two each. Santillan, Hopkins and Kenzie Stephens each finished with one hit.

McDonald County hosted Joplin on Sept. 12 before traveling to Marshfield on Sept. 14 and to the Branson tournament on Sept. 15-16.

Nevada

McDonald County pounded out 13 hits to cruise to a 12-2 win over Nevada on Sept. 5 at Nevada High School.

Hopkins got the win, allowing two runs on five hits in six innings before Kaylee Cornell retired the side in order in the seventh.

The Lady Mustangs scored two runs in the second, third and fourth innings, one in the fifth and four in the sixth to build an 11-0 lead after six and a half innings.

Nevada scored its only runs in the bottom of the sixth before McDonald County scored the final run of the game in the top of the seventh.

Kylie Helm had the first of her two consecutive four-hit games while Maddie Colvin had three hits and Cloee Helm and Chloe Colvin had two each to lead the Lady Mustang offense.

Santillan and Kinser had the two other McDonald County hits.