Indians split Sunday games at Norfolk

NORFOLK - McCook Community College baseball split a pair of Sunday games against Northeast Community College winning the first game 8-4 and losing the second game 13-5.

"Pretty much same as Friday, played really well in Game 1 and struggled early in Game 2," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen.

Freshman Cory Wouters (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) picked up his first collegiate win on the mound and hit a key two-run home run in Game 1.

"We got a nice start from Cory in Game 1 and got some really big swings from a few guys, Jason Serafinchon, Jackson Yeager, and Cory all came up with nice swings when we needed them to propel the offense," said Olsen. "And we put another zero in the error column which helped, really just a good all-around game."

Northeast CC broke open a 3-3 tie in Game 2 scoring seven runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth.

"Game 2 was a combination of giving up too many free throws passes early and they got some timely hits with runners on," said Olsen.

Northeast goes to 7-9.

"I felt like we took a nice step in the right direction this weekend, we just have to keep trending that way," said Olsen.

After a 2-2 weekend against Northeast, MCC goes to 3-9 on the year. The Indians will travel to Hesston, Kan. Wednesday for a nine-inning game against the Hesston College (2-11). First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

All the latest information for MCC baseball including up-to-date schedule and changes as well as statistics, rosters and photos can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com

GAME 1 – McCook CC 8, Northeast CC 4: Freshman Nathan Hutchison (Riverton, Wyo.) started the game off with a single and scored the first run on a two-out RBI single from sophomore Michael Quick (Oshawa, Ontario).

Northeast scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning off MCC starter Cory Wouters, who walked two, hit a batter and allowed two hits.

MCC took a 4-2 lead in the third with singles by Maddox Shaver (Belleville Ontario) and Quick, an RBI-double off the bat of Jason Serafinchon (sophomore, Spruce Grove, Alberta), an RBI-single by freshman Luke Bies (La Vista) and a sacrifice fly by Jackson Yeager (sophomore, Omaha).

A Hawk error in the fifth inning opened the door for the Indians as Serafinchon doubled home Quick and Yeager doubled to put MCC up 6-2.

Northeast's first three batters of the fifth reached base with a walk and two singles to make it a 6-3 game but Wouters escaped the inning with a popout, an RBI-groundout and a strikeout.

Wouters helped his own cause hitting a two-run home run in the sixth to give the Indians an 8-4 lead. He was relieved in the bottom of the inning and finished his mound outing allowing four earned runs on six hits and four walks in five innings of work. He struck out seven.

Freshman Ethan Badcock (Adelaide, Australia) came on in relief and kept the Hawks scoreless in his two innings of work, allowing no hits, one walk, two hit batters and two strikeouts.

MCC outhit NECC 10-6. The Indians got two-hit games from Quick, Serafinchon and Bies and got two-RBI games by Wouters, Serafinchon and Yeager.

GAME 2 – Northeast CC 13, McCook CC 5: The teams traded three-run first innings. After Nathan Hutchison and Maddox Shaver singled to start the game, a Northeast error loaded the bases. With two outs Shaver scored on a wild pitch and Luke Bies drove home two runs with a single.

Northeast tied the game 3-3 with three runs in the bottom of the inning with a two-out, two run single then broke open the game with seven runs in the second and three in the third.

Three MCC pitchers went one inning each over the first three innings and allowed 11 earned runs on 10 hits, four walks and four hit batters. Leif Friedrich (Surrey, British Columbia) started the game, followed by Brady Augustin (Surrey, British Columbia) and Blake Benallo (Thornton, Colo.).

A.J. Matta (Arvada, Colo.) pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one walk and striking out two while sophomore Jackson Finder (Lincoln) pitched a scoreless frame, walking one.

"We did see three good innings pitched by AJ and Finder, both with their first outings of the year, so that was good to see," said Olsen.

MCC scored two runs in the fifth inning on leadoff singles by Cory Wouters and Michael Quick, an RBI-groundout with Bies batting and an RBI-double by Jackson Yeager.

MCC had 12 hits with three by Quick and two each by Shaver, Wouters, and Yeager.