With a couple of important victories against Liberty District rivals in recent days, the McLean Highlanders remained tied for second place in the district.
The girls high-school softball team defeated district opponents Marshall, 7-6, and Yorktown, 7-6, in recent outings and lost to Wakefield, 6-3. Then, in non-league action, McLean lost to the visiting Bishop O’Connell Knights, 5-2, April 30 in an annual rivalry game.
McLean began the week with a 10-4 overall record and a 6-3 district mark.
“It was a busy week. We wanted to go at least 3-1 but we were 2-2,” McLean coach Maurice Tawil said.
Against defending Division I state private-school champion O’Connell, McLean had four hits off ace Katie Kutz and led 1-0 through four innings. Lily Brumbaugh had an RBI double to plate McLean’s second run. Piper Tedrow, Macey Johnson and Ella Templer had the other hits.
“I thought we played well and we had our opportunities to score more runs, but we didn’t,” Tawil said. “It’s a game we enjoy, and it always will be scheduled as long as I’m the coach here.”
The night before, McLean rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat Yorktown. Freshman right-hander Elise Walker pitched the final 42/3 innings of scoreless relief work with five strikeouts and allowing just one hit to get the win.
McLean had 11 hits. Brumbaugh, Johnson and Willa Steeg each had two hits and Madeline Staats had an RBI double.
“We had no errors and really pitched well,” Tawil said.
Gabby Colder had two hits against Marshall and Johnson, Brumbaugh, Templer and Steeg each had one hit and one RBI. Colder had two hits and an RBI against Wakefield.
NOTE: Overall, O’Connell holds a 7-5 lead in the series against McLean since 2009 when the weekly Saturday afternoon rivaly began, winning the first two contests in 2009 and 2010. McLean’s first win was in 2011 . . . Each of the contests have been played at McLean . . . The games often have been close, with four decided by one run. O’Connell won 1-0 during the 2017 season when the Knights finished 27-0. That slim margin of victory was O’Connell’s closest that season.