Southeast tops MCC for Region IX baseball title; Both teams in West District Championship

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The McCook Community College baseball had two chances to win its first ever Region IX championship Sunday, but it was Southeast Community College that took the title with a pair of wins, 21-7 and 12-6. The good news is that MCC's season is still alive, and these two team will now travel to Beatrice this weekend for the West District tournament along with Pima Community College of Arizona and Salt Lake Community College, Utah.

"Just kind of a different feeling at the end of the day," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen. "It's tough to lose in the region finals but we still have the excitement of moving on, we just need to spend the next couple days trying to get back and ready to go for Thursday."

This will be MCC's first ever appearance in the West District Tournament.

On Sunday at UCHealth Field, MCC jumped out on top in Game 1 and led 5-1 until the Storm victimized the MCC bullpen for 12 runs in the sixth inning to take the lead for good.

MCC starting pitcher Aiden Johnson (freshman, Westminster, Colo.) kept the Storm bats in check in his first appearance on the mound since April 17 when he faced this same Southeast team.

"Through the first five innings we were right where we needed to be," Olsen said. "Aiden gave us a great start especially for not throwing for three weekends, then when we went to our pen it just didn't work out and we had our worst inning of the year and it just came at an unfortunate time."

In Game 2, MCC took an early lead but gave up a pair of four-run innings in the second and third and never recovered.

"We got down early and didn't have enough firepower to come back," Olsen said. "We just didn't play clean all day, miscues defensively and way too many free passes all day long. I've said it quite a bit, but when you do those things, you really get behind the eight ball."

 MCC finishes the regular season 37-23, while Southeast goes to 42-16 and will host the West District double-elimination tournament starting Thursday.

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 – Southeast CC 21, McCook CC 7: A two-out Southeast error in the top of the first, was followed by a walk and another Storm error as MCC took a 2-0 lead. Southeast got an unearned run in the second to make it a 2-1 game for MCC starting pitcher Aiden Johnson.

A leadoff error by Southeast in the top of the sixth, opened the door again for MCC. Sophomore Daegen Morcom (Winnipeg, Manitoba) singled followed by a walk by Tyus Chudomelka (sophomore, Bellevue), a bases-loaded walk by Michael Quick (Oshawa, Ontario), then the fourth error of the game by the Storm gave MCC a 4-1 lead. Sophomore Ethan Murdoch (Swift Current, Saskatchewan) hit a sacrifice fly to put MCC up 5-1.

Southeast led off the bottom of the sixth with four straight singles and a double-play ball to make it a 5-3 game, then an MCC error brought in another run to make it a 5-4 MCC lead.

Johnson departed after five innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits, one walk and four strikeouts.

In the sixth, the MCC bullpen faltered as 15-straight Storm hitters reached base off five MCC relief pitchers: Rocky Yates (Sydney, Australia), Jackson Bigge (Fort Collins, Colo.), Victor Nane, (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), Blake Banello (Thormton, Colo.), and Ryan Heu (Brampton, Ontario). Every reliever allowed at least one run and two base runners as Southeast went on top 16-5. Heu pitched the final 2.2 innings.

MCC got two runs in the seventh on a passed ball and two-out RBI single by sophomore Josh Maysonave (Austin, Texas).

Southeast banged out 18 hits and drew nine walks.

MCC had six hits with two by Alliskair Descartes (sophomore Thornton, Colo.)

GAME 2 – Southeast CC 12, McCook CC 6: Michael Quick singled to lead off the game and scored on a double off the bat of Ethan Murdoch.

Sophomore Jelle Bing (Heerhugowaard, Netherlands) retired the Storm in order in the bottom of the first but Southeast scored four times in the second on four walks, a single and a hit batter. He left the game after hitting the first two batters in the third inning and was relieved by freshman Jereniel Herrera (Panama City, Panama) who hit the first batter he faced as the Storm scored four more runs to take an 8-1 lead and added another in the fourth.

MCC showed signs of life in the fifth on a Quick single and a Murdoch home run then scored three in the sixth. Freshman Jason Serafinchon (Spruce Grove, Alberta) and sophomore Trent Elshire (Plattsmouth), singled. Chudamelka drove home Serafinchon, then Alliskair Descartes delivered a two-out double to pull MCC within 10-6.

Southeast scored a run in the bottom of the inning and twice in the eight for the win.

Herrera pitched six innings in relief, allowing three earned runs on six hits, two walks and five strikeouts.

MCC had 13 hits with three by Quick, and two each by Murdoch, Serefinchon and freshman Zeke Minic (Thornton, Colo.).

            REGION IX CROSS - DIVISION

CROSS-DIVISION PLAYOFFS

Best-Of-Three Series

MAY 4

Otero JC 13, Northeastern JC 3, 7-innings, (at Otero)

MAY 5

McCook 12, Lamar 2 (at McCook)

Northeastern JC 10, Otero JC 5 (at Otero)

Otero JC 3, Northeastern JC 1 (at Otero); Otero wins series 2-1

Western Nebraska 24, Trinidad State 12, (at Trinidad)

MAY 6

McCook 20, Lamar 13 (at McCook); McCook wins series 2-0

Western Nebraska 13, Trinidad State 9 (at Trinidad). Western wins series 2-0

REGION IX TOURNAMENT

FINAL FOUR DOUBLE-ELIMINATION

(All times MT)

FRIDAY May 12

Game 1 - Otero JC 6, Southeast CC 5

Game 2 – McCook CC 11, Western Nebraska 10

Game 3 – Southeast CC 11, Western Nebraska 6 (Western Nebraska eliminated)

SATURDAY GAMES

Game 4 – McCook 10, Otero JC  6

Game 5 –Southeast CC 19, Otero JC 11 (Otero eliminated)

SUNDAY

Game 6 – Southeast CC 21, McCook 7

Game 7 – Southeast CC 12, McCook 6 (Southeast CC wins Region IX Tournament)