NJC rides five-run seventh for 10-8 win over MCC Baseball

STERLING, Colo. – The McCook Community College baseball team dropped a 10-8 decision to Northeastern Junior College Sunday to kick of the Region IX schedule (Empire League). The two teams will play a doubleheader Monday to wrap up the three-game series.

The Plainsmen scored five runs in the seventh inning to erase an 8-5 deficit.

"It was another game where the big inning did us in," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen.

MCC brought the potential tying run to the plate in the ninth inning but NJC closed it out. MCC pitchers allowed just seven hits in the game but walked seven hitters.

"We have to eliminate walks," said Olsen. "We gave up five in the seventh and they only had one hit. It's just frustrating."

NJC's big inning late stole some of the thunder produced by the big bats for MCC, which homered five times in the game including a two-out, back-to-back-to-back homer binge in the third inning.

Sophomore Max Mrakovic (Sydney, Australia) started the game on the mound and surrendered a pair of runs in the first and another in the second.

Down 3-0, MCC struck for five third-inning runs – all with two out. Markus Coronado (sophomore Irving, Texas) doubled. NJC elected to intentionally walk Zack Beatty (sophomore, Maple Park, Ill.) and Caleb Eiguren, (Broomfield, Colo.) made the Plainsmen pay with a three-run home run. Freshman Ethan Murdoch (Swift Current, Saskatchewan) followed with a solo homer and freshman Riley Watson (Sydney, Australia) made it three homers in three batters with his line-drive round-tripper to leftfield.

NJC responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth to pull to within 5-4 and tied the game in the fifth. Mrakovcic left after four innings, allowed five hits, walked two and struck out four. He allowed three earned runs.

MCC reclaimed the lead in the fifth. Following a leadoff walk by Coronado, Beatty launched a two-run homer to left and one batter later, Murdoch powered his second home run of the game to put MCC up 8-5.

The Plainsmen scored five times in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the lead for good.

Freshman Cade Webber (Kelowna, British Columbia) went 2.2 innings, walked five and allowed four earned runs, he struck out five and didn't allow a hit.

C.J. Allen (Salado, Texas) went the final 1.1 innings, allowing two hits, and one earned run. He fanned one.

MCC goes to 5-5. NJC goes to 7-9.

 "We'll keep battling, we have a veteran group that's been through it before and knows what it takes," Olsen said. "We have to keep playing and learning. It'll be great to get back out on the field again tomorrow."

MCC had 11 hits in the game – including seven for extra bases. Coronado had a single and a pair of doubles. Beatty and Murdoch also had two-hit games.

For all the up-to-date information on MCC baseball this season including, schedules, statistics, rosters and photos, please visit the official website of MCC Athletics at: https://mccookcc.prestosports.com/landing/index