MCC Baseball takes Game 1 of Western series, 13-8

The McCook Community College baseball team picked up its 20^th win of the season Saturday in the opening game of a three-game Empire League series with Western Nebraska. MCC picked up a 13-8 win in the nine-inning game.

MCC scored a run in the first. With one out sophomore Markus Coronado (Irving, Texas) lined a single, advanced to second on passed ball and scored on an RBI-single from sophomore Zack Beatty (Maple Park, Ill.).

In the second inning, after one out MCC got back-to-back doubles from freshman Riley Watson (Sydney, Australia) and sophomore Elijah Munoz (Big Spring, Texas) and a three-run home run from sophomore Jordan DeMarce (Las Vegas) to put MCC up 5-0.

Three more runs came home in the third when Watson and Munoz delivered one out-singles and Daniel Bannon (Sydney, Australia) powered a two-out home run to left to put MCC up 8-0.

Western responded with three straight solo home runs in the fourth off Max Mrakovic (Sydney, Australia) who escaped the inning with a strikeout, a double, two walks and two strikeouts to finish off the frame. He went five innings, allowed five hits, three runs, four walks and he struck out 11 Cougars.

Cade Webber (Kelowna, British Columbia) came on for the sixth and allowed one run but MCC got that back that run on a Bannon double and an RBI-single from Coronado to give MCC a 9-4 lead. A Cougar error lead to another MCC run.

Freshman Josh Maysonave (Austin, Texas) lead off the seventh with a solo home run, Coronado walked with the bases loaded and a Zack Beatty sacrifice fly gave MCC a 13-4 lead.

Western scored a pair of runs off Webber, who went three innings, allowed three earned runs, three hits, four walks and four strikeouts.

Jordan Muschalek (Odessa, Texas) closed out the game in the ninth, he allowed two hits and two runs while walking one and striking out two.

MCC outhit the cougars 17-10. Bannon led the way with four hits, Watson had three and MCC got two apiece from Coronado, Beatty and Munoz.

MCC is 20-18 on the season and 14-9 in Region IX play (the Empire League). Western Nebraska is 12-23 overall and 8-10 in the Empire League.

The two teams will wrap up the series with a pair of games starting at 1 p.m.

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