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Pioneer Softball Splits Day 2 In Minot

Pioneer Softball Splits Day 2 In Minot
Posted: Feb 12, 2022

The MCC Pioneer softball team drove out of Minot with an even record of 2-2 after splitting games against Dakota College at Bottineau and Williston State on Saturday. The Pioneers were stagnant in game 1 losing 8-1 to Dakota College at Bottineau and rallying for a 4-0 win against Williston State. 

Game 1 - Pioneers 1... Dakota College at Bottineau 8 (5 innings)

Nothing went right from start to finish on Saturday morning as the Pioneers gave up 8 runs in the 2nd inning and could only muster up 3 hits (2 by Lilinoe Nihi and a late 5th inning single by Liz Ybarra) in the game. The Lumberjacks roughed up the combination of Alex Carr (Idaho Falls, ID) and Madi Henry (Spanish Fork, UT) in the 2nd inning. Carr gave up 5 runs on 5 hits before Henry came in to give up 1 run on 2 hits and 2 walks in 1/3 of an inning. Carr returned to the circle and settled down the rest of the way but it was too late for a comeback. Carr finished the game going 4 2/3 innings giving up 6 runs on 7 hits. She struck out 2 Lumberjacks. 

1B Nihi 2 hits and the Pioneers scored their only run of the game on a wild pitch that brought in Hazel Eaton (Belgrade, MT) after Eaton walked and reached 3rd on one of Nihi's hits in the 4th inning. Ybarra (Belgrade, MT) had a 2-out single in the 5th inning.

Inside the Box Score

  • MCC bats were as cold as ice striking out 9 times in the game. DCB struck out only 3 times.
  • DCB had 8 runs on 8 hits in the big 2nd inning rally. 
  • The Pioneers had 2 errors and the Lumberjacks 1.

Game 2 - Pioneers 4... Williston State 0

Hazel Eaton returned to the mound after her strong game 1 performance on Friday with another shining effort shutting out the Williston State Tetons. Eaton went a complete game 6 innings and gave up only 2 hits, striking out 7, and walking 1 Teton. The game was a stalemate thru 4 innings until the Pioneers finally cracked the scoring column in the top of the 5th inning. RF Sam Burke (Cut Bank, MT) singled and advanced to 2nd on a ground out by Ybarra. SS Sierra John (Idaho Falls, ID) walked and Nihi doubled in the pair for a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the 6th, 2B Mariana Weaver (Rexburg, ID) walked and Freshman CF Megan Johnson (Preston, ID) hit the 1st home run of her Pioneer career driving in Weaver and giving the Pioneers some needed insurance runs. 

Ybarra was 2-4  at the plate, Nihi ended 1-3, and Weaver 1-2. C Morgan Lampshire (Murray, UT) had the other single for the Pioneers. 

Inside the Box Score

  • MCC committed 3 errors in the game and the Tetons 1. 
  • Teton pitchers gave up 4 runs on 8 hits, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. 
  • Alexa Lewis (Bozeman, MT) had the lone stolen base in the game. 

The Pioneer will resume action on March 8 with a trip to Tucson, Arizona. They will play 8 games during the spring break trip.