Game 1 - Pioneers 12... Rainy River CC 7
With the game tied at 7-7 after 4 innings, the MCC Pioneers took control with a run in the 5th and 4 more in the 6th to run away with a 12-7 win on Sunday afternoon over Rainy River CC. The Pioneers took advantage of a huge 6-run 3rd inning and a strong 15 hit performance to gain the victory.
Each team scored a run in the first inning. The Pioneers struck when SS Jaeden Jordahl (Billings, MT) singled and that was followed up by a CF Jake Lacey (Gillette, WY) double to put runners at 2nd and 3rd. RF Ian Krump (Rapid City, SD) then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Jordahl.
The top of the lineup was active again in the 3rd as Jordahl and Lacey both singled again. 3B Tim Holyk knocked a 2-RBI triple to center to make the score 3-1. Krump followed up with an RBI double to left to make it 4-1. 1B Kaleb Breeze (West Valley City, UT) reached on a hard grounder to 3rd to put runners on 1st and 2nd. LF Grant Gabbert (Thorton, CO) knocked a 2-RBi double to left and was followed up by DH Tommy O'Connell's (Kalispell, MT) RBI single to left and a 7-1 edge.
Rainy River tied things up with back to back 3-run innings in the 3rd and 4th, only to see the Pioneers take control in the 5th. 2B Tyler Tenney (Helena, MT) and Gabbert knocked back to back singles and O'Connell drew a walk to load the bases. C Karter Yancey (St. Anthony, ID) was hit by a pitch to make the score 8-7.
In the 4-run 6th, Lacey walked and Holyk singled to left. Krump cracked a double to right that scored Lacey. Breeze then hit an RBI single down the 3rd base line to put runners on the corners and the Pioneers led 10-7. Tenney then singled to score Krump to make it 11-7. Yancey was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Jordahl walked to bring in Breeze for the final run of the game.
7 different players collected 2 hits in the 15-hit outing for the Pioneers.
Cy Miller (Helena, MT) started the game and pitched 4 innings. He gave up 7 runs on 6 hits, walking one, and striking out 6. Jay Neugebauer pitched the next 3 innings and was nearly flawless. He allowed only one hit and struck out 6.
Game 2 - Pioneers 5... Concordia U. 3
The MCC Pioneers took advantage of 6 walks and 5 Concordia errors to rally from a 3-2 deficit and score 3 in the bottom of the 6th for a 5-3 win on Sunday night in Tucson, Arizona.
Each team scored a run in the 1st inning as the Pioneer LF Matt Burton (Helena, MT) walked and advanced to 2nd on a throwing error by pitcher trying to pick Burton off 1st. DH Clay Prell (Miles City, MT) walked after Burton stole 3rd to put runners on the corners. SS Lane Neill (Belgrade, MT) hit a sacrifice fly RBI to center to score Burton. The same held true in the 3rd inning with each team scoring a run. Burton singled and 2B Dalton Martin (Gillette, WY) was then hit by a pitch and Prell walked again to load up the bases. Neill grounded to the Concordia 3rd baseman who committed an error allowing Burton to score and tie things 2-2.
Concordia score another run in the 4th inning and then with the Pioneers trailing 3-2 in the 6th pinch hitter Jake Lacey walked and advanced to 2nd on an error by Concordia trying to pick him off 1st. C Karter Yancey took advantage with an RBI double to left that tied the game at 3-3. Jack Corriveau came in as a courtesy runner for Yancey and advanced to 3rd on a passed ball and then scored the go ahead run on an error by the catcher. PH Kaleb Breeze walked and then PH Ian Krump doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. DH Grant Gabbert grounded out to 1st but Breeze scored on the play to give the Pioneers the 5-3 lead.
The Pioneers had only 3 hits in the game and got some timely pitching from Patrick Dietz (Manhattan, MT) and Cameron Murphy (Torrington, WY). Dietz went 3 innings and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits. He struck out 6 and walked 2. Murphy pitched the final 4 innings allowing only 1 run on 3 hits. Murphy struck out 8 Concordia batters and walked 2. The pitching duo combined for 14 strikeouts.
MCC will play the White Rock Tritons at 11:00 AM MST Monday in their final game in Tucson.