MCC Baseball wins 10th in a row with walk-off homer run in the snow

For the third straight game, the McCook Community College baseball team picked up a win in their final at bat. On Saturday, sophomore Josh Maysonave (Austin, Texas) smashed an eighth-inning home run in the snow to send MCC to its 10^th straight win.

MCC downed Luna Community College 4-3 for what was supposed to be the first game of a doubleheader. Adverse weather postponed the second game.

"We are playing pretty clean baseball right now," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen. "We have really pitched it well and played good defense in our winning streak."

The team also improved to 9-2 this season at home and goes to 18-13 overall and 10-7 in Region IX play.

"I think in these past 10 games we have eliminated big innings, the only inning we've given up more than two runs was a grand slam against Lamar, so that has really helped us along the way," Olsen said.

Sophomore Ethan Murdoch (Swift Current, Saskatchewan) launched a first-inning solo home run to start the scoring Saturday and Josh Maysonave hit a solo shot in the fourth inning to put MCC up 2-0.

Freshman starting pitcher Aiden Johnson (Westminster, Colo.) made that lead hold until the sixth inning. After one out in the sixth Johnson was hit with a line drive which caromed over to third baseman Abel Reyes for the second out. After a brief medical check, Johnson resumed pitching duties but surrendered a single then a two-run homer as Luna tied the game 2-2.

With two outs in the seventh the Roughriders took a 3-2 lead on a two-out single.

"We made a mistake defensively to give them the lead today, we should have caught a fly ball to end the seventh, but Josh (Maysonave) came back around to win the game for us," Olsen said.

Freshman Zeke Minic (Thornton, Colo.) led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo homer to tie the score 3-3. Freshman Jereniel Herrera (Panama City, Panama) who relieved Johnson with two outs in the seventh, retired Luna in order in the eighth inning.

With one out, Maysonave drove a 2-2 pitch over the right field fence for his second homer of the game and fifth of the season to send MCC to the 4-3 win.

"We got two really big swings by Zeke and Josh in the seventh and eighth," Olsen said.

Johnson went 6.2 innings for MCC allowing six hits and two earned runs. He didn't walk a batter and struck out seven. Herrera picked up the win in 1.1 relief innings. He didn't allow a walk or a hit and struck out four.

MCC outhit Luna 7-6 with four of the hits solo home runs.

"I know we can compete against any arm, and if we can continue to pitch and play defense, we'll be pretty tough," Olsen said.

MCC is scheduled to travel to Hastings Wednesday for a pair of games with the Hastings College JVs., then return home Saturday and Sunday for a four-game series against Otero Junior College. Doubleheaders both days start at 1 p.m.

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