Kababie sets tone in Cougars’ sweep

When an entire offense is clicking the way the Columbia College softball team’s has been lately, no one wants to be the lone hitter in the lineup who is not producing. In Wednesday’s doubleheader sweep of Missouri Baptist, Stephanie Kababie made sure she wasn’t that person.

Kababie, a senior second baseman, came into the games hitting just .180. But, she helped set the tone for the day with a two-run single in the first inning of Game 1. The Cougars scored four times in the frame, and rolled to an 8-0 win in an abbreviated six-inning game. Kababie had two hits, a walk, and a run scored.

“I know I can still step up and that’s what I plan to do,” Kababie said. “Especially, with all the team stepping up, I have to follow and lead at the same time. I did (feel more comfortable) today.”

Columbia College won the second game 8-3 to increase its winning streak to 10 games. After a slow start against tough competition, the Cougars are 16-9 and 8-0 in the American Midwest Conference.

Suddenly, an offense that was held to two runs or less in three of its first four conference games, has scored eight runs or more in five of its past seven games.

“It’s so absolutely true that when you have momentum on your team, the hitting comes a little easier than it normally would,” Kababie said. “When we have momentum we’re a lot stronger.”

Senior catcher Stephanie Stowe, who has been the Cougars best hitter, said that having other members of the lineup hitting well makes things a lot easier for her, as well as everyone else on the team.

“It’s really beneficial to everyone,” she said. “There’s no pressure when you’re going up to bat. We really count on each other. I know if I get out, someone else in the lineup is going to get a hit and keep us rolling.”

Stowe had five hits and three RBIs in the doubleheader, and hit her fifth home run of the year.

Katie McMahon continued her strong pitching with a complete game three-hit shutout in Game 1. McMahon, who threw a no-hitter on Monday against Harris-Stowe, has now pitched 31 straight innings without allowing an earned run. Stowe said McMahon has been doing a great job putting her pitches exactly where the Cougars catcher calls for them to be.

“All her pitches are moving really well,” Stowe said. “She’s hitting her locations really well, and that’s all we can ask of her is to hit her spots. She’s doing that, and we have a lot of confidence in her at this point.

Kababie, meanwhile, said she is confident the offense will continue to provide run support for the pitching staff.

“It’s taken a little bit but all our work is starting to pay off,” she said. “We’re stringing a lot of our hits together. As long as you can bunt someone over, the next person is going to hit a home run or something. We’re going to be successful.”