MCC drops home-opening doubleheader 15-5, 9-4

The McCook Community College baseball team opened the home portion of the schedule Wednesday but lost twice to Northeast Community College, 15-5, 9-4.

"It was just a tough day all the way around," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen.

The Hawks posted big innings in both games to break up close contests. NCC snapped a 2-2 tie in Game 1 with a five-run fifth inning and added five more in the sixth. In Game 2 the Hawks scored six of their nine runs in the fourth inning and hit four home runs in the game.

"It was a tough day for our DHs against a good team and with region from last weekend getting pushed back and this weekend getting moved forward it made it the perfect storm for mid-week games," said Olsen. "But I'll choose to take the good out of the day."

After Northeast lost their first game of the year, the Hawks improve to 14-1 having won 14 straight games. They are ranked No. 18 in the latest NJCAA Division II Top 25 poll.

While MCC's DH's struck out four times in eight at bats, but Olsen was pleased with a pair of freshman pitching performances on the day including the Game 1 starter Jelle Bing (Heerhagoaard, Netherlands) and a strong relief outing in Game 2 from Rylan Wallingford (Fort Calhoun, Neb.)

 "Rylan was really good, Jelle was really good for four innings, it was just the second appearance for both those guys," Olsen said.

Sophomore Eduardo Ojeda (Coral Springs, Fla.) started Game 2 and looked strong.

"Eddie was pretty good for three innings we probably just tried to get a little too much out of him, so hopefully that will help us add some depth on the mound," Olsen said.

McCook goes to 7-7 on the season.

MCC's weekend series against Trinidad State was moved up a day to try and take advantage of better weather. The teams will now start their four game series with a double header Friday at 1 p.m. and play two more on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.

"We've had the injury bug on the mound so we need to have some guys step up, we have a day to regroup and get ready to go for the weekend," Olsen said. 

MCC leads the Empire League North Division with a 2-1 record. Trinidad State leads the Empire League South Division with a 3-0 mark. The Trojans opened the Region IX slate with a three-game sweep over Otero and are 15-3 to start the season.

For more photos from Wednesday's game, please visit the MCC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MPCCMcCook

GAME 1 – Northeast CC 15, McCook CC 5: The Hawks broke open a 2-2 game with a five-run fifth inning and added five more in the sixth.

MCC got on the board in the second. Freshman Ethan Murdoch (Swift Current, Saskatchewan) -- the reigning Region IX Player of the week -- led the inning off with a double and scored on a triple by freshman Riley Watson (Sydney, Australia). MCC took a 2-0 lead when sophomore Elijah Munoz (Big Spring, Texas) singled Watson home.

Starter Jelle Bing went four innings, allowing three earned runs, five hits, three walks and no strikeouts. Sophomore Owen Lester (St. Charles, Ill.) faced six batters in the fifth inning, and allowed four runs on two hits and a walk. Freshman C.J. Allen (Salado, Texas) pitched the final two-thirds of the fifth inning, and allowed one hit and struck out one.

A Hawk error, walk and another walk led to an MCC run in the fifth to make it a 7-3 NCC lead but the Hawks scored five more to lead 12-3.

Deagen Morocom (Winnipeg, Manitoba) led off the MCC sixth with a pinch-hit triple and scored on an error. Markus Coronado (sophomore Irving, Texas) doubled in a run later in the inning to make it a 12-5 game.

NCC put the game away with three in the seventh inning.

Jackson Bigge (Fort Collins, Colo.) pitched the final two frames for MCC allowing eight runs on five hits and four walks.

MCC had eight hits, with two by Watson.

GAME 2 – Northeast CC 9, McCook CC 4: Northeast Community College scored six runs in the fourth inning and closed out MCC in the second game 9-4.

MCC took the lead in the second. Markus Coronado and sophomore Zack Beatty (Maple Park, Ill.) hit back-to-back one-out doubles and Beatty scored on a two-out single by Kade-Poteet-Herrera (freshman, Pueblo, Colo.).

MCC added single runs in the third and fourth innings. Coronado was hit by a pitch to lead off the third and later scored on a Hawk error to tie the game at 3-3.

Then Northeast cranked up the home run ball swatting three in the fourth inning to put the Hawks up 9-3. In the bottom of the inning sophomore Jordan Demarce (Las Vegas) singled and later scored on an RBI-groundout from Coronado to make it a 9-4 NCC lead and neither team scored after that.

Eduardo Ojeda pitched one out into the fourth, allowing eight hits, walking five, striking out four and giving up eight runs.

Rylan Wallingford  came on in relief and was greeted by the Hawks' third homer of the inning then got out of the inning with no more runs allowed and pitched scoreless ball the rest of the way. He finished with 3.2 innings pitched, allowed three hits, one walk and he struck out four.

Demarce had two hits for MCC.