College Heights Christian softball capped an incredible regular season with a 15-0 win over Wheaton in three innings to clinch the Cougars’ first ever Ozark 7 Conference title in team history in the process on Friday at the Joplin Athletic Complex.
“It feels great,” College Heights coach Mike Howard said. “This team has worked incredibly hard to get where they are at. It wasn’t easy, but they pulled off an undefeated conference year. I couldn’t be more proud of their efforts.”
Aside from the unblemished 4-0 conference record, College Heights (with McAuley Catholic) finished the regular season with a 15-3 overall record—the best record the program has ever seen from a win-percentage standpoint. The Cougars are one victory shy of matching a CHC single-season wins record of 16, which was set in the 2015-16 season when College Heights finished 16-7.
“We’ve had to overcome a lot of obstacles,” Howard said. “A lot of our girls are multi-sport athletes and a lot of times only half of our team was there. But whoever was there, they played and practiced hard. I give the credit to them for being tremendous athletes. We just try to put them in the best position possible to succeed and they do the rest of the work. I am super proud of this team and their fight this year.”
IN THE CIRCLE
CHC freshman pitcher Maddy Colin earned her 13th win of the season after tossing three perfect innings on 31 pitches in the circle. Colin faced nine batters and struck out all of them.
“She has been tremendous all year long and has done everything I’ve asked her to do out there,” Howard said. “She gives it her all every time she steps on the field and couldn’t ask for more out of a player.”
Monica Hinojosa took the loss after allowing 15 runs, 12 earned, on 10 hits, four walks and one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings.
SENIOR NIGHT
College Heights recognized Layne Jackson, Avery Good, Sarah Painter, Ari Calandro and Emi Kuhns as this year’s senior class.
GAME ACTION
College Heights put it on Wheaton early with six runs crossing home in the first inning. With two runners on base via the free pass, Colin helped herself out with a two-run single to left field to give the Cougars the lead. Colin scored after tagging up to third on a foul out and crossing home on a Wheaton throwing error to push the lead to 3-0. With two outs and two on later in the inning, Calandro doubled to right field to score two runs. Lauren Ukena followed with a run-scoring single to center to wrap the scoring.
“The objective of this game was just to stay patient,” Howard said of his team’s offensive output. “We wanted them to take a strike before swinging the bat. … We wanted to take advantage of the opportunities we got and our girls had some really good at-bats.”
The Cougars added two more runs in the bottom of the second on an RBI triple to center field by Addie Lawrence and an RBI groundout by Good to push the lead to 8-0. College Heights put the game away via run rule with a seven-run third inning. Kloee Williamson highlighted the inning with a three-run double to right field. Good added an RBI single up the middle later in the inning.
“You definitely don’t want to be complacent, especially in our last game of the regular season,” Howard said about his team’s ability to add on insurance runs after getting a big lead early. “We knew this was Senior Night and they wanted to go out on a high note.”
IN THE BOX
Lawrence doubled and tripled to go along with three RBI and two runs scored to lead CHC at the plate. Williamson drove in three on a double and scored twice. Colin had a hit, two RBI and scored a run, while Good and Calandro each scored twice and drove in two to go along with one hit. Jayli Johnson had a hit, walked twice and scored twice.
UP NEXT
College Heights takes part in the Class 2 District 6 tournament as the third seed. The Cougars face off with sixth-seeded Sarcoxie (8-14) with a 6:30 p.m. matchup on Monday in Mount Vernon.
