MCC Baseball sweeps Luna to extend win streak to nine games

The McCook Community College baseball team scored a pair of walk-off wins at home Friday to sweep a doubleheader against Luna Community College to extend the team's winning streak to nine games.

Freshman Jason Serafinchon (Spruce Grove, Alberta) drove home the winning run in the seventh inning of Game 1 to give MCC an 8-7 win and sophomore Alliskair Descartes (Thornton, Colo.) delivered the game-winner in Game 2 on a three-run home run as MCC came back from a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3.

"Obviously an exciting day today," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen. The coach was surprised with the lift of Descartes's game-winning homer. "Honestly I didn't think it was out, off the bat. I didn't feel like the ball was carrying great to left field, their guy gave a great effort on it. I actually thought he robbed it. It was just a fun way to end the day."

MCC improves to 17-13 and 9-7 in Region IX. Luna goes to 8-19 in the region and 11-25 on the year.

The two teams will conclude their four-game set Saturday for a doubleheader starting at noon at the Jaycees Sports Complex.

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 – McCook CC 8, Luna Community College 7: Luna took a 2-0 lead in the first and added another in the third of starting pitcher Mikey Acierno (sophomore, Thornton, Colo.).

MCC responded with a six-run sixth inning that featured six straight hits to start the inning: singles by sophomore Josh Maysonave (Austin, Texas), Abel Reyes (sophomore, Puerto Caimito, Panama), Jason Serafinchon, Zeke Minic (Thornton, Colo.) and then back-to-back doubles by Riley Watson (Sydney, Australia) and Blake Dale (Riverton, Wyo.), who scored the sixth run of the inning on a wild pitch.

Luna tied the game 6-6 scoring once in the fourth and twice in the fifth. MCC took a brief lead in the bottom of the frame when a Roughrider dropped third strike with two outs and a Luna error allowed MCC to take a 7-6 lead.

A leadoff home run by Luna's Jose Villalbos in the seventh tied the game at 7-7 and the Roughriders put runners on first and second with one out but a doubleplay halted the threat.

"I really felt like we would get it in the seventh," said Olsen. "I just felt like after they hit the homerun to tie it, if we could keep it tied we could get the win,"

Alliskair Descartes led off the bottom of the seventh with a single but was retired on a fielder's choice. After back-to-back walks to Maysonave and Reyes, Serafinchon delivered a walk-off RBI-single.

Acierno went six innings for MCC on the mound, allowing 10 hits, five earned runs while walking two and strikeout out four. Freshman Jereniel Herrera (freshman, Panama City, Panama) picked up the win in relief, allowing two hits, a walk and one earned run.

"Even through Mikey gave up some runs and hits I thought he did exactly what we needed him to do to give us a chance to win," said Olsen.

MCC had nine hits in the game with two each by Maysonave and Serafinchon, who drove home two runs.

GAME 2 –McCook CC 4, Luna Community College 3: MCC starting pitcher Myles Chabi (Sydney, Australia) and Luna starter Marcus Sanchez owned the first five innings of the game as both players brought a shutout into the sixth inning.

MCC loaded the bases in the third on a pair of two-out walks and a hit batter but couldn't capitalize on the opportunity.

Luna was able to score the first run on a one-out double in the sixth then added two more runs with to outs to take a 3-0 lead.

Chabi was able to recover in the seventh and retired the Roughriders in order. In his seven innings of work, he allowed eight hits, three earned runs, one walk and he struck out three.

"Myles really pitched well, they have a good lineup and he did a good job," said Olsen. "I thought they earned everything that they got all day, we played good defense and didn't give up hardly any free passes."

MCC had been held to two singles through the first six innings before Serafinchon led off the seventh with a single. He was followed by a Zeke Minic walk and a single by sophomore Trent Elshire (Plattsmouth). After a popout to shortstop a fielder's choice gave MCC its first run but also its second out of the inning.

Descartes drove the game-winning home run to left field – MCC's only extra-base hit.

"We hadn't got anything going all game, we got a few big swings early in the seventh, and then obviously Alliskiar had the big swing," Olsen said.