MCC Baseball sweeps Lamar to pick up sixth straight win

The McCook Community College baseball team completed a four-game sweep over Lamar Community College winning a Monday doubleheader 6-4, 13-10.

Sophomore Ethan Murdoch (Swift Current, Saskatchewan) went three-for-three in Game 1 with a home run and three RBIs and went two-for-three in Game 2 with a critical two-out, two-run single in the sixth inning. MCC also got three home runs and seven RBIs from the eighth, ninth and first-place hitters in Game 2 including a grand slam by sophomore Trent Elshire, (Plattsmouth).

"It was good to finish off the sweep today and good to play better on Day 2 of a weekend," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen. "This was the first time in our first four conference weekends that we've been on top on Day 2."

Freshman Aiden Johnson (Westminster, Colo.) had a strong start on the mound with six-plus innings and freshman Jereniel Herrera (Panama City, Panama) came on for the save in Game 1. Redshirt freshman Rocky Yates (Sydney, Australia) picked up a two inning save in Game 2.

"We got a little bit of everything today, got pretty good pitching in Game 1, and then got a good performance out of Rocky in Game 2," said Olsen. "Offensively we just kept getting after them all day."

Lamar falls to 8-23 overall and 4-10 in the Region IX standings.

MCC improves to 13-13 and 7-7 in the Region IX Empire League.

MCC continues its home stand Tuesday with the fifth game in three days, taking on Garden City Community College at 2:00 p.m. The Broncbusters are 5-18 on the season.

"I'm looking forward to getting backed out there and playing tomorrow and hope we can keep it going," said Olsen.

For all the up-to-date information on MCC baseball this season including up-to-date scheduling changes, statistics, rosters and photos, please visit the official website of MCC Athletics at mccindians.com

GAME 1 – McCook CC 6, Lamar 4: Down 1-0 in the third, MCC's Ethan Murdoch and Josh Maysonave (Austin, Texas) were hit by pitches to lead off the inning and both scored on a double by freshman Jason Serafinchon (Spruce Grove, Alberta).

The Runnin Lopes' took back the lead with two runs in the fourth to make it a 3-2 game.

Murdoch lined a solo home run to lead off the MCC fifth to tie the game and freshman Zeke Minic (Thornton, Colo.) singled home Maysonave, who had reached when he was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game.

Freshman Aiden Johnson (Westminster, Colo.) pitched two outs into the sixth inning. He allowed seven hits, two earned runs, three walks and he struck out five.

Freshman Michael Quick (Oshawa, Ontario) doubled to lead off the sixth inning and came home on a Murdoch single and a Lamar error let in another run to make it a 6-3 MCC lead.

Jereniel Herrera (freshman, Panama City, Panama) picked up the save after getting out of a two-out bases loaded jam in the sixth. He went 1.1 innings, allowed two hits, walked a batter and struck out one.

Murdoch had three of MCC's seven hits in the game and Quick had two.

GAME 2 – McCook CC 13, Lamar CC 10: After Lamar scored twice in the first inning, MCC responded with seven runs in the bottom of the inning. Michael Quick led off with a home run and Jason Serefinchon tied the game 2-2 with an RBI-single. With two out, Trent Elshire hit a grand-slam homer and freshman Blake Dale (Riverton, Wyo.) followed with a solo shot to put MCC up 7-2.

The Runnin' Lopes got two runs back in the second, but MCC scored in the bottom of the inning on two hit batters, a walk and a sacrifice fly from Serefinchon. A two-out Lamar error in the third let in two more MCC runs to make it a 10-4 game.

Owen Lester (St. Charles, Ill.) pitched the first four innings for MCC. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits, two walks and two strikeouts.

Trailing 10-5 in the sixth, Lamar got back in the game with a grand slam to cut the MCC lead to 10-9 but the home team scored three runs on a Michael Quick double and a two-out, two-run single by Murdoch.

"I was probably proudest of our bottom of the sixth," said Olsen. "We came up with some big hits in that inning."

Jelle Bing (Heerhugowaard, Netherlands) pitched one inning in relief and allowed three earned runs on two hits, three walks and two strikeouts. Rocky Yates (redshirt freshman, Sydney, Australia) pitched the final two innings and allowed one earned run on two hits, a walk and he struck out six.

MCC had 10 hits in the game with two each by Quick, Murdoch and Elshire.