Colby rallies in last at-bat to top MCC

McCOOK, Neb. — Colby Community College came up with three runs in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday to beat McCook Community College 5-4.

Both teams scored a pair of first-inning runs which held until MCC scored a run in the fifth inning. That 3-2 lead lasted until the ninth inning.

McCook Community College freshman starting pitcher Anthony Kingsbury (Gatineau, Quebec) walked the first Trojan he faced then gave up a two-run homerun, but settled down the rest of the way.

The Indians knotted the game in the bottom of the first inning, sophomore Ricardo Jimenez, (Hialeah, Fla.) doubled to lead off the frame and Mark Starks (Blair) was hit by a pitch. Jimenez went to third on a fly ball and scored on a Parker Kretzel (Thornton, Colo.) ground out. Both runners advanced on a passed ball and Starks scored on an error by the catcher.

In the top of the fifth, Colby loaded the bases on two singles and a hit batter but Kingsbury struck out the next three hitters to end the threat.

Jimenez drew a one-out walk in the fifth inning and later scored on an outfield error to take a 3-2 lead.

Jimemez’s first inning double was the only hit for the Indians until the eighth inning when Kretzel singled.

Kingsbury pitched the first eight innings, allowing seven hits, two earned runs, two walks and nine strikeouts.

Freshman Yasnier Laureano (Anderson, S.C.) came on for the ninth inning but walked the first hitter, who stole and scored on a single to tie the game. The Trojans added two more runs in the inning on a walk, two wild pitches, a hit batter and a two-run single.

Trailing 5-3, freshman Kaleb Taylor, (McCook) led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a line drive home run to left field to cut the margin to one run. Freshman Trevor Pacheco (Pueblo, Colo.) followed with a pinch-hit single but Colby’s Blake Gallagher struck out the next three MCC hitters to end the game. Colby improves to 31-14 with the win.

MCC falls to 15-23 and will take on Southeast Community College today n a critical Region IX doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.