Late scores lead Cardinals over MCC 11-10

PARSONS, Kan. – The Labette Community College Cardinals scored nine runs in their final two at bats Monday to secure an 11-10 win over the McCook Community College baseball team.

"This was a tough one to swallow today, we obviously had a great start from Ryan Malone – he was really good and that was great to see – we just made too many mistakes late and had some bad luck go against us," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen.

After MCC took a 6-2 lead to the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinals climbed back into the game with a five-run seventh inning. MCC took a 10-7 lead in the eighth but Labette scored four runs in the eighth and held on for the win.

"We need to be able to close out these games late," said Olsen. "We also needed to add runs early when we have chances – we had all kinds of runners early today and didn't cash them in, those will cost you in one run games."

MCC's first three runners of the game reached base to load the bases on a pair of walks and a single by freshman Cory Wouters (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan). However, the only run of the inning came home on a fielder's choice off the bat of freshman Owen Glover (Elderslice, New South Wales).

Labette took a 2-1 lead in the second with a pair of solo home runs off MCC starter Ryan Malone (Bennington) the redshirt freshman.

MCC's Maddox Shaver (Belleville Ontario) drew a one-out walk in the third, stole second and scored on a single by Wouters to tie the game 2-2.

In the fourth inning, MCC scored four times on a one-out double by freshman Wrigley Strong (Omaha), a single from Will Edwards (sophomore, Sydney, Australia), along with
three walks and a hit batter and a two-out RBI single from Wouters, who was down 0-2 in the count but put the Indians up 6-2.

Malone pitched into the seventh inning but issued a walk and hit the next batter. He was relieved by freshman Leif Friedrich (Surrey, British Columbia). Labette scored five times in the inning to take a 7-6 lead. The Cardinals had two singles in the inning, five free passes and took advantage of an MCC error.

Malone went six innings, allowed six hits and four earned runs, walked four and struck out eight.

The Indians erased the deficit in the eighth with a leadoff double by sophomore Michael Quick (Oshawa, Ontario) and an RBI-single by Shaver. Wouters followed with a single and MCC took an 8-7 lead on back-to-back fielder's choice groundouts. With two-outs MCC got singles by Strong and Dale to go up 9-7 then Edwards doubled in Strong to give the Indians a 10-7 edge.

Labette matched MCC's four-run eighth inning to take an 11-10 lead. Friedrich pitched one inning in relief and Tobey Cassino (Arvada, Colo.) came on to get the final three outs in the eighth inning.

Wouters led the MCC offense with four hits and three RBIs. Strong and Edwards both had two-hit games for the 12-hit MCC offense.

The Indians committed three errors.

Labette goes to 2-7 on the season.

"I will say our level of wanting to compete was the best it's been all year, if we can keep that trending in the right direction and clean up a few things on the field we'll flip the one run games," said Olsen.

The Indians go to 1-4 and hit the road for Texas this weekend and a three-game series at Clarendon College with a Friday doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. and a single nine-inning game Saturday at 1 p.m.

MCC's home-opener is scheduled for Friday, March 1 with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. against Northeast Community College.