MCC Baseball outlasts Garden City 9-7 to stretch win streak to seven games

The McCook Community College baseball teams scored four first-inning runs, and later broke up a 7-7 tie with runs in the seventh and eighth innings to beat Garden City Community College Tuesday 9-7. The win at the Jaycees Sports Complex is the seventh in a row for MCC which will continue the home stand with four games this weekend against Luna Community College Friday and Saturday. (Those games were moved from New Mexico because of issues with the field there.)

"It was really good to get the win, and nice after a long four-game set and it was good to see some other guys step up and play so well today," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen.

Sophomore Daegen Morcom (Winnipeg, Manitoba) got the start in center field and freshman Jake Quinlivan (Sydney, Australia) started in right field and both came up big for MCC.

"Daegen had a great game with a three-run homer in the first and a great catch for a double play in the top of the ninth," said Olsen. "And Jake had a really nice day in right field defensively as well.

Eight pitchers saw action Tuesday with a trio of freshmen holding down the final three innings in Zack Lane (Phoenix, Ariz.), William Coe (North Platte, Neb.) and Jereniel Herrera (Panama City, Panama).

"Lane, Coe, and Jereniel were really good the last three innings," Olsen said. "They kept us tied and protected the lead. It's been a really good group effort the last three days,"

Blake Dale (freshman, Riverton, Wyo.) led off the first with a single and scored on an RBI by freshman Jackson Yeager (Omaha Westside). Morcom hit a two-out, three run home run to put MCC up 4-0.

Freshman Ethan Badcock (Adelade, Australia) pitched the first two innings for MCC, surrendering one hit and striking out one hitter. Freshman Blake Banello (Thornton, Colo.) pitched the third inning and allowed a pair of unearned runs on two hits.

The Broncbusters took a 5-4 lead with three runs in the fourth off sophomore Tyus Chudomelka (Bellevue), who allowed one hit, two walks, three earned runs and three strikeouts in his one inning of work. Freshman Ryan Heu (Brampton, Ontario) pitched the fifth inning and allowed an earned run on a walk and a strikeout as Garden City led 6-4.

Yeager tied the game at 6-6 with a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth and MCC took a 7-6 lead on an errant pickoff attempt. GCCC tied the game in the sixth inning off sophomore Jackson Bigge (Fort Collins, Colo.). He hit three batters, walked one and gave up one earned run.

Lane pitched a scoreless seventh, allowing one hit and striking out one. In the bottom of the seventh, MCC took advantage of a two-out Broncbuster error to take an 8-7 lead.

Coe took over on the mound in the eighth and retired Garden City in order. MCC scored its final run on a pair of walks and another Garden City error.

After hitting the leadoff hitter in the ninth, Coe got a doubleplay ball but hit another batter, surrendered a single and walked a hitter to load the bases. Herrera came on to strike out the final hitter on five pitches to seal the MCC win.

MCC had six hits with two each by Morcom and Yeager. MCC pitchers collectively allowed six hits, walked five and struck out seven, and allowed five earned runs.

Garden City goes to CC was 5-19.

MCC improves to 15-13. The team was scheduled to travel to Las Vegas, N.M. Saturday and Sunday for a pair of doubleheaders against Luna Community College but that series has been moved to McCook Friday and Saturday. Friday's doubleheader starts at 1 p.m. and Saturday's will start at noon. The Roughriders are 11-23 on the season.

MCC is third in the Empire League North Division, 7-7 in Region IX play. Southeast CC is first at 9-2, Northeastern Junior College is second at 6-5 and Western Nebraska is fourth at 0-8.

Trinidad State leads the Empire League South Division at 9-5, Luna is second at 8-6, Otero third at 7-7 and Lamar is fourth at 4-10

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