MCC Baseball holds on for 6-5 win vs Doane JVs

CRETE – After leading 6-1 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs Monday, the McCook Community College baseball team held on for a 6-5 win over the Doane JV team.

 "It is obviously good to get out with the win but always a bitter taste in your mouth to not finish it off like you should," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen.

In the ninth inning, up 6-1 with two outs, the MCC defense faltered, dropping a pop up on the infield to extend the game. That was followed by a walk, a hit, and another error before MCC recorded the final out with the tying run on third base.

MCC started things off the right way with a two-run home run by sophomore Zack Beatty (Maple Park, Ill.) in the first inning to give MCC a 2-0 lead. This was Beatty's 19^th home run of the year, which breaks the all-time MCC single-season home run mark, which he set a year ago as a freshman with 18. Beatty is one home run behind the NJCAA leader, Derek Williams of Mineral Area (Missouri).

Freshman Mikey Acierno (Thornton, Colo.) got the starting nod on the mound and held the Tigers off the scoreboard until allowing a run in the fourth to cut the lead to 2-1.

Beatty was hit by a pitch to lead off the sixth inning, freshman Josh Maysonave (Austin, Texas) followed with a single and Oliver Davies (freshman Sydney, Australia) doubled home Beatty to put MCC up 3-1. Sophomore Melwin Perez (San Sebastian, Puerto Rico) delivered an RBI single to make it a 4-1 MCC lead.

In the MCC seventh Maysonave's two-run homer to right field put MCC up 6-1.

Acierno went six innings for MCC, allowing five hits, one run, one walk and he struck out six. He was relieved by freshman Rylan Wallingford (Fort Calhoun, Neb.) who pitched his team into the ninth before the defense collapsed with two outs.

"We got a great start from Mikey, and Rylan was really good for his two and two-thirds innings," Olsen said. "He shouldn't have got four unearned runs hung on him."

Wallingford allowed two hits in his 2.2 innings, walked one and struck out and departed the game with the tying run on third base. Freshman Jelle Bing (Heerhagoaard, Netherlands) came on to strike out the only batter he faced.

"Jelle did a good job of punching out their three-hole hitter to end the game," Olsen said.

MCC outhit the Doane squad 10-7. Maysonave had three hits and sophomore Jordan DeMarce (Las Vegas) had two.

 "Offensively we had a few good swings but really struggled to drive guys in when we had them on base," Olsen said. "I know we left the bases loaded two or three times at least, those really hurt when you don't extend the lead when you have chances."

MCC improves to 23-23 on the season and will be home Tuesday for a 3 p.m. game with Colby Community College.

This weekend MCC hosts Northeastern Junior College in three-game Empire League series starting with a Saturday doubleheader at 2 p.m. and a single game Sunday.

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 mccindians.com