OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The No. 8-ranked Johnson County Community College softball team got a pair of strong pitching performances from sophomore Magge McNally and freshman Mariah Unverzagt to help the Lady Cavaliers to a season series sweep over Labette Community College Saturday at the JCCC Softball Complex. JCCC opened the series with a 3-2 victory then followed with a 5-0 triumph to improve to 35-7 overall and 12-2 in conference play which has them in first place.
In the first game, McNally earned her seventh complete-game victory of the season. The right-hander gave up three hits and two runs over seven innings while striking out nine batters. McNally is now 10-3 on the season and 23-7 over her career.
At the plate, freshman Aspen Burgardt added to her league-leading RBI total with two runs batted in. She drove in a run in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly, scoring Taryn Burkhardt who opened the game with a single. In the bottom of the fifth Burgadt put JCCC up 3-0 with an RBI single scoring Izzy Carter who singled and advanced to third on the fielder's choice and an error. Burgardt now has 69 RBI for the season, four more than Cowley's Emily Louderback. She also leads the league in batting average (.529), doubles (24) and extra base hits (46).
Sophomore Gracie Ramsey picked up Lady Cavaliers other RBI in the second inning with a ground out to make 2-0 for the home team.
The second saw another dominant pitching performance by Unverzagt. The right-hander scattered three hits and did not allow a run over seven innings. She also struck out two batters. She now stands 8-2 on the season.
Freshman Izzy Carter, Burgardt, sophomore Kate Ediger, freshman Kaia Cordill, sophomore Ryan Pinkerton and freshman Haley Bryant each collected one hit for Johnson County. Burkhardt, Bugardt, Carter, Cordill and Pinkderton each drove in a run.
Johnson County has three conference double headers scheduled this week beginning with a showdown at Cowley College Monday, Aril 29. The Tigers have three more wins than JCCC in conference play, but also have one more loss. The stand 38i-13 overall.
Johnson County follows with a twin-bill at Kansas City Kansas on Thursday, May 2 and cap the regular season hosting Coffeyville in a two-game series on Saturday, May 4, with the first pitch scheduled for noon.