Rugged Colorado trip for MCC baseball team

LAMAR, Colorado -- The McCook Community College baseball team got a rude welcome in a weekend trip to Colorado.

MCC traveled to Lamar, Colorado for double-headers Saturday and Sunday, April 9-10. McCook dropped the first two games of the series Saturday by lopsided scores of 14-4 and 20-0. MCC lost 4-3 and 7-3 in Sunday's action.

In Saturday's opening game, Lamar exploded for 12 runs in the opening three innings and the Indians never recovered.

The hosts tallied six runs in the bottom of the first, one more in the second and five more in the third.

McCook tried to mount a rally, scoring all its runs in the top of the second. Matt Trujillo drew a bases-loaded walk for MCC's first run, followed by a two-run double by Brandon Pacheco. McCook tallied another run on an error by Lamar.

McCook starting pitcher was knocked off the mound in the opening inning after giving up four hits and six runs. Jordan Krenek worked 3 2/3 innings, and he surrendered six runs -- just two earned -- on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Tyler Perry pitched the fifth inning, as Lamar ended the game by the 10-run rule with two runs in the fifth. Perry allowed two runs and two hits with one walk.

McCook was out-hit 15-3.

In Saturday's second game, Lamar caught fire again early with seven runs in the first frame and nine more in the second.

Lamar pitcher Shane Zaruba limited MCC to just two hits. Starter Josh Newman took the loss for McCook, with Darin Dice, Alex Murphy and Dakota Riehl working in relief in the five-inning contest.

Sunday's games closer

MCC played much better in Sunday's double-header.

The Indians took a 3-0 lead after two innings in the opener. Brandon Nickolite drove in Eric Montes for MCC's first run in the top of the first. McCook scored twice in the second on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Montes and a single by Kyle Gamble.

McCook couldn't plate another run, while Lamar came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, and a single run in the sixth to tie the score.

In the seventh inning, Lamar got a runner on base by an MCC error. Vincenzo Fresquez advanced to second, then scored the winning run in a single by Mark Ortivez.

Monahan started for the MCC and pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits and three runs with four walks and 10 strikeouts. Michael Brown took the loss in one inning of relief, with the only hit he allowed by Ortivez in the seventh.

MCC had a little better attack, with six hits compared to eight for Lamar.

The hosts took their turn getting off to a strong start in Sunday's series finale. Lamar led 6-1 after three innings. MCC came back with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Trent Lussenhop and Montes both hit singles and scored on a double by Gamble.

McCook scored a run in the second on a triple by Montes and an RBI single by Gamble.

MCC managed just one baserunner in the final three innings, while Lamar added an insurance run in the sixth.

Lamar had 13 hits to six for the Indians. Montes and Gamble had two hits each for McCook, and Gamble drove in all three MCC runs.

J.J. Jaramillo went the distance for the Indians to suffer the pitching loss.

McCook drops to 18-16 overall and 8-8 in Empire League action. Lamar, 33-11 overall, leads the league with a 16-2 record.

Upcoming schedule

The Indians are back on the road Wednesday, April 13, for a single game (nine innings) at league foe Western Nebraska C.C. in Scottsbluff. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CDT. WNCC is 6-10 in league play and 13-23 overall.

McCook has a home double-header Thursday, April 14, against the York College junior varsity, with the opener starting at 2 p.m. at the Jaycees Sports Complex.

MCC returns to Colorado for a weekend league series against Trinidad State Junior College, with double-headers Saturday and Sunday, April 16-17, starting at 2 p.m. CDT each day. Trinidad is currently second in the Empire League standings at 10-7 (26-15 overall).