MCM Advances to Class B Softball Championship with Dominant Semifinal Win

ABERDEEN — McCook Central/Montrose is set to compete for a state title in the Class B softball tournament for the first time in its history, following a decisive victory in the semifinals on Friday. The top-seeded team showcased its powerful offense, overcoming a brief challenge to defeat sixth-seed Gayville-Volin 15-7 at the Players Softball Complex.

MCM (22-2) will face off against Castlewood (20-4) in the championship game scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m., marking a highly anticipated matchup as the two teams did not meet during the regular season. Gayville-Volin initially took a 4-0 lead, but MCM quickly turned the tide, scoring five runs in the third inning, followed by three runs in both the fourth and sixth, and an additional four runs in the fifth.

Despite recording only six hits compared to Gayville-Volin’s 13, MCM capitalized on nine errors made by their opponents. Zaidee Huls, who pitched the entire game, contributed two hits to the team's effort, while Landry Andal hit a home run. Mya Morrison was a standout performer, achieving a hit, drawing two walks, and crossing home plate three times.

For Gayville-Volin, Paisley Dimmer and Olivia Brown each had three hits, and Hailey Adams contributed two. Jolie Westrum, who was charged with the loss on the mound, managed to score three runs as part of the team’s offense.

In the other semifinal, top-seed Castlewood also demonstrated resilience, overcoming a deficit against fourth-seed Hanson. After losing the lead in the sixth inning, the Warriors rallied with a six-run response to secure a 12-7 victory. Castlewood's offense was bolstered by two extra-base hits that brought in four runs. The Warriors spread their scoring across all six innings, accumulating 14 hits.

Hanson, despite the defeat, saw standout performances from Skya White, who had four hits and drove in two runs, and Jacey Schoenrock, who added three hits and four RBIs. Claire Horn was credited with the win in the pitching department for Castlewood. Hanson (19-5) will face Gayville-Volin (15-6) in the third-place game at 2 p.m. on Saturday.