MCC Baseball wins two from Luna CC

The McCook Community College baseball team took a pair of Saturday games at the Jaycees Sports Complex winning 6-0 and 10-4 over Luna Community College.

Sophomore Aiden Johnson (Westminster, Colo.) tossed a three-hit shutout in Game 1 with 12 strikeouts.

"I thought Aiden really came out and set the tone today, he just goes out every weekend and competes," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen.

Freshman Tobey Cassino (Arvada, Colo.) struck out 11 in his five innings of work to pick up the win in Game 2 with a four-inning relief outing from Zach Lane (Phoenix, Ariz.).

"Tobey was really good in Game 2, his pitch count ran up a bit and Lane came in and after the first three hitters really settled down and threw really well," said Olsen.

MCC improves to 14-4 in the Empire League and 22-19 overall.

Luna falls to 1-17 in the region and 3-39 overall.

"We defended really well again today, if we pitch and defend we'll be in a lot of games," said Olsen. "We have another important day again tomorrow."

The two teams wrap up their four-game series Sunday. That doubleheader was moved up to a noon start.

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 6, Luna CC 0: Aiden Johnson set the tone in the top of the first striking out the side.
Nathan Hutchison (freshman, Riverton, Wyo.) had a one-out single in the bottom of the inning and scored on a wild pitch.

Sophomore Will Edwards (Sydney, Australia), led off the MCC third with a double and scored on an RBI-single by Luke Bies (Omaha Gross). Michael Quick (sophomore, Oshawa, Ontario) drove home a run on an RBI-groundout and Yeager made it a 4-0 Indian lead with an RBI-groundout.

Jackson Yeager (sophomore, Omaha Westside) doubled to lead off the MCC sixth, and scored a on a sacrifice fly by Blake Dale (Sophomore, Riverton, Wyo.) with another run scoring on a Roughrider error.

Johnson picked up the win to improve to 7-1 on the season. He allowed three singles and one walk to go along with a season-high 12 strikeouts.

"We didn't do a bunch offensively but took advantage of a few things and were able to score some runs," said Olsen.

MCC was held to five hits with two by Hutchison.

GAME 2 – McCook CC 10, Luna CC 4: The Indians took the lead with a run in the first inning on a single by Michael Quick and an RBI-single by Will Edwards.

Quick singled in the third to start a five-run rally which included a two-run single by Jackson Yeager, a two-out single by Luke Bies and a Luna error to put MCC ahead 6-0.

The Roughriders got two off starter Tony Cassino (Arvada, Colo.) in the Luna fourth on three walks, a single and a sacrifice fly. MCC responded with a two-run double by Quick in the bottom of the fourth to lead 7-2, and Edwards doubled in Quick and a wild pitch put MCC up 9-2.

Tobey Cassino pitched the first five innings and allowed three hits, two earned runs, three walks and he struck out 11 Roughriders.

Blake Dale singled in the fifth, stole second and third base and scored on a passed ball to make it a 10-2 game.

Zack Lane came on in relief in the sixth and was greeted by back-to-back Luna home runs and a double but responded by striking out the next two hitters and getting out of the inning with a line out.

Lane pitched the final four innings, allowing six hits, two earned runs, no walks and three strikeouts.

"We know he's going to throw strikes and did a good job of that again today," said Olsen.

MCC had 10 hits in the game with three by Quick and two each by Edwards, Luke Bies and Blake Dale.