McLennan softball is World Series bound

WACO, Texas (KWTX) -This past weekend, McLennan softball became the first team to punch their ticket to the NJCAA World Series.

It’s the second World Series berth for coach Chris Berry and his squad in the last three seasons.

“It’s hard here, this is a hard place to play,” said Berry. “It’s not a place that every player can survive. The ones who do, they’re very close-knit, and they walk out of here different than when they come in, and they’re prepared to go and take on other challenges.

Though, McLennan has yet to really face a team that has challenged them this year. A the No. 1 team in the country, they’ll cruise into the tournament with a 57-2 record. Freshman outfielder, Mickayla Tosch, says the tone was set at the start.

“In the spring, our first few games, just going out and dominating everybody that we played was really cool,” said Tosch. “It just kind of set the tone and just kind of carried us through the season. But we’re not done yet.”

Of course, every softball team has a cheerful dugout, but the Highlanders put on concerts in their dugout during games. Sophomore pitcher Taryn Batterton and freshman infielder Trinity Allen says the singing helps them win.

“We like to play loose, we like to play like we don’t have anything to lose,” said Batterton. “We just have a lot fun in the dugout. We’re always dancing, cheering, laughing, we’re dancing a lot.”

“We don’t really play like we’re number one,” said Allen. “We play with a underdog mentality.  We just go out there and show them who’s boss and play our game.”

MCC will definitely be the heavy favorite heading into the World Series. Sure, it may put a big target on their backs, but that will give them even more confidence than they had before.

“We’re really talented, and we are going to win,” said Berry. “If we don’t, it doesn’t diminish this year, or this team, or what they’ve accomplished so far. We’re gonna be true to our identity, and if we come up short, we come up short. But the mind set is that we’re going to win.”

The NJCAA World Series will take place from May 20-25 in Oxford, Alabama at Choccolocco Park.

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