MCC's baseball season ends with 13-7 loss to Cougars

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team downed McCook Community College Friday 13-7 in an elimination game of the Region IX Tournament.

Western Nebraska took advantage of five MCC errors scoring eight unearned runs at UCHealth Park.

“This was just a tough way to go out, I mean I know it’s going to end at some point but I wish we would have put a better foot forward,” said MCC Coach Jon Olsen. “I don’t fault the effort, but we just made mistakes that we haven’t made collectively in a few months, and it was just a bad time to do it.”

The Indians finish the season at 29-28.

“At the end of the day, reflecting, I’m proud of the group and effort we put in,” Olsen said. “The sophomores had two really good years here, they won almost 70 games in two years, and I’m pleased with all their work and thank them for the effort.”

Top-seeded Southeast Community College held off Western Nebraska 6-5 in the first game of the Friday tournament schedule and No. 6 seed Northeastern Junior College topped No. 2 Otero JC 14-3.

MCC’s defensive woes set the tone of the game early as the Cougars scored five runs in the top of the second inning taking advantage of three walks to start the inning, a sacrifice fly, and a two-out error leading to four unearned runs.

Freshman Cory Wouters (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) pitched two innings, allowing three hits and one earned run on four walks and three strikeouts. Zack Lane (sophomore, Phoenix, Ariz.) came on in the third inning.

MCC scored in the third on an RBI-triple by Maddox Shaver (freshman, Belleville Ontario) and an RBI-single from sophomore Michael Quick (Oshawa, Ontario) to make it a 5-2 MCC deficit but the Cougars went up 9-2 in the fourth with the help of on a single, a walk, a hit batter, a sacrifice fly, a two-out two run error and a two run double.

Sophomore Luke Bies (Omaha Gross) hit a solo home run in the fourth inning and the Indians scored on a two-out Cougar error in the fifth to close within 9-4.

Western Nebraska chased Lane two batters in the sixth. He pitched 3.1 innings, allowing four hits, one walks and two earned runs. The Cougars went up 12-4 with three runs in the sixth.

MCC responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Bies hit a one-out double and Jason Serafinchon (sophomore, Spruce Grove, Alberta) hit a two-run triple and scored on a groundout by Shaver to make it a 12-7 game. Western scored an unearned run in the seventh to go up 13-7.

Sophomore Ethan Badcock (Adelaide, Australia) pitched the final 3.2 innings for the Indians. He allowed two hits, two walks, two earned runs and he struck out five.

Western Nebraska outhit MCC 9-7. Bies and Shaver both had two hits each.

“I’m just disappointed for the guys and wish they would have gone out on a better note,” said Olsen,

The tournament is down to the final four in the region Saturday as Western Nebraska will play Otero in an elimination game while Southeast and NJC face off in the championship bracket. The winner of the Otero/Western Nebraska game plays the loser of the NJC/Southeast game in the final matchup Saturday.

The championship game is set for Sunday with a second game if necessary.

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

REGION IX TOURNAMENT

May 9-12

At Colorado Springs, Colo.

Thursday's Results

Game 1 –Northeastern Junior College 10, McCook CC 7

Game 2 –Western Nebraska 8, Lamar 5

Game 3 – McCook CC 10, Lamar 9 (Lamar eliminated)

Friday's Results

Game 4 – Southeast CC 6, Western Nebraska 5

Game 5 – Northeastern 14, Otero JC 3

Game 6 – Western Nebraska 13, McCook CC 7

Saturday's Schedule

Game 7 – No. 4 Western Nebraska vs No. 2 Otero JC, 10 a.m. (elimination game)

Game 8 – No. 6 Northeastern JC vs. No. 1 Southeast CC, 1 p.m.

Game 9 – Winner of Game 7 vs. loser of Game 8, 4 p.m. (elimination game)

Sunday's Schedule

Game 10 – Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner,

Game 11 (if necessary) – Game 10 winner vs. Game 10 loser