Pioneers 8... Rochester 0 (5 Innings)

The final day of the MCC Pioneers Spring Break trip to Tucson, Arizona got off to a good start. MCC picked up a run in the bottom of the 1st inning without even getting a hit. SS Sierra John (Idaho Falls, ID) and RF Cassidy Bagnell (Frenchtown, MT) each walked and then LF Liz Ybarra (Belgrade, MT) reached base on an error to load the bases. CF Skylar Higgs (Livingston, MT) hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score John. 

DP Reed Johnson (Columbus, MT), C Taylor Feller (Laurel, MT), and 2B Mars Weaver (Rexburg, ID) all walked to start the 2nd inning. John was then hit by a pitch to bring in R. Johnson. Bagnell followed that with a 2 RBI single and Ybarra singled to load the bases again. Higgs then grounded out on a fielder's choice and John scored to give MCC a 5-0 lead. 

The Pioneers built on their lead in the 3rd inning after a 1B Hazel Eaton (Belgrade, MT) walk and Reed Johnson single. Feller walked to load the bases and Weaver followed that with an RBI walk. Bagnell then hit in to a fielder's choice that allowed R. Johnson to score for a 7-0 lead. 

Skylar Higgs reached base on an error to lead off the 4th inning and advanced to 2nd on the same error. She promptly stole 3rd and scored on a ground out by 3B Megan Johnson (Preston, ID). The game ended in the 5th inning due to the 8-run rule and the Pioneers moved to 12-2 with an 8-0 win. 

Alex Carr (Idaho Falls, ID) had her arm going in the circle with a 5-inning complete game one-hitter. (H, 2 BB, 5 SO)

Inside the Box Score

• The Pioneers had only 5 hits. There were no extra base hits and no player had more than one hit.
• The Pioneers did not commit an error. Rochester had 2.
• MCC drew 8 walks and Rochester drew only 2. 

Pioneers 15... California Marimar 1 (5 Innings)

Everything that needed to go well went well for Pioneer softball on Saturday night in Tucson, Arizona as MCC pounded out 16 hits and scored 15 runs in just 5 innings of play to run their record to 13-2 on the season. 

The Pioneers scored in all 5 frames and Peyton Whitehead (Joliet, MT) had another strong outing in the circle going 5 innings (3 H, R, 4 BB, 3 SO). 

Six Pioneers had multiple hits in the game led by 3 hits each for SS Sierra John and 2B Shannon Nelson (Livingston, MT). John was 3-3 (3B, 4 R) and Nelson was 3-3 (2 R). RF Alexa Lewis (Bozeman, MT) was 2-5 (2B, 3B, 5 RBI) and her outfleld mates Liz Ybarra went 2-4 (2 2B, 4 RBI, R) and Skylar Higgs 2-4 (RBI, R) aided in the cause. 3B Morgan Lampshire (Murray, UT) was 2-2 (2B, R).

MCC got 2 runs in the 1st, 5 in the 2nd, 2 in the 3rd, 5 in the 4th, and another in the 5th. 

Inside the Box Score

• MCC struck out 2 times and walked 3 times. Miramar struck out 3 times and walked 4 times. 
• Both teams had 4 errors.
• Each team had one stolen base.

Next up for the Pioneers is MonDak Conference action against Bismarck State on March 25 in Miles City.