Game 1 - Pioneers 8... William Penn JV 6
The Pioneers rallied from a 5-run deficit after 2.5 innings to score 7 runs over the next 4 stanzas for an 8-6 win over the William Penn JV in the first game of spring break trip to Tucson, Arizona.
MCC pounded out 14 hits in the game led by a 4-4 effort by 2B Abby Johnson (Hamilton, MT). Johnson's efforts included 2 doubles, a triple, and 2 RBI to go along with 1 run scored. LF Liz Ybarra (Belgrade, MT) had a 2-4 effort with an RBI and a run scored that also included a triple. CF Skylar Higgs also was 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
William Penn started out quickly with 2 runs in the 1st inning and 2 more in the 2nd for a 4-0 lead. The Pioneers got on the board in the bottom of the 2nd when 3B Megan Toplovich (Great Falls, MT) singled to rightfield. C Megan Johnson (Preston, ID) grounded in to a fielder's choice leaving Johnson at 1st and then Johnson stole 2nd before being driven in on a Higgs single to right.
Penn added another in the 3rd for a 6-1 lead but Ybarra tripled to centerfield and was driven home on a Johnson single to cut the lead to 6-2 after 3. The bottom of the 4th inning started with a Mars Weaver (Rexburg, ID) single to right and a Johnson single down the 3rd base line. Higgs reached on an error to load the bases and SS Sierra John (Idaho Falls, ID) cracked a double that drove in 2 but Higgs was cut down at home plate trying to score from 1st. Ybarra then singled to drive in John and cut the lead to 6-5. In the 5th, Johnson tripled to centerfield and scored on a double by P Hazel Eaton (Belgrade, MT) to tie things 6-6. Alexa Lewis (Bozeman, MT) was a courtesy runner for Eaton and stole 3rd and then scored on a throwing error by the Penn catcher and the Pioneers led 7-6 after 5 innings.
In the bottom of the 6th, Higgs doubled to center and then with 2 outs she was driven home on a double by Johnson for the final score of 8-6.
Hazel Eaton pitched a complete game for MCC and gave up 6 runs on 8 hits, striking out 7 and walking 2. Only 2 of the 6 runs were earned for Penn and the Pioneers committed 5 fielding errors.
Game 2 - Pioneers 3... William Penn JV 4
In a back and forth game that saw the Pioneers take a 3-0 lead only to have the William Penn tie it up at 3-3 in the 4th inning and then WP push one thru in the bottom of the 6th inning to walk away with a 4-3 win and a split of the Tuesday doubleheader.
MCC scored 1st in the top of the 1st inning when 2B Abby Johnson doubled to right and was driven home on a double by SS Sierra John. In the top of the 3rd inning 3B Megan Toplovich singled to CF and advanced to 3rd on an error in leftfield on a fly ball by RF Reed Johnson (Columbus, MT). Sam Burke (Cut Bank, MT) then singled in Toplovich for a 2-0 lead. The top of the 4th was led off by a Liz Ybarra triple to center and a RBI single by Abby Johnson and a 3-0 lead.
Willam Penn tied things up at 3-3 in the bottom of the 4th and the game stayed that way until William Penn scored the winning run in the 6th inning.
Liz Ybarra was 3-4 (double, triple) and a run scored. Abby Johnson was 2-3 (double) with an RBI and a run scored. Megan Toplovich was 2-3 with a run scored as well. Sam Burke ended the game 2-4 with an RBI.
The Pioneers will face William Penn tomorrow at 2:30 PM and then Dakota Wesleyan JV at 4:45.