Indians split diamond double at Otero

LA JUNTA, Colo. – The McCook Community College baseball team split a doubleheader with Otero Junior College Friday losing the first game 5-4 and coming back to win the second game 8-3.

In the series opener the Indians came back from 5-1 deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning (MCC was the home team in this series, originally scheduled to be played in McCook) to score three runs and put the tying run at second base and winning run at first, but couldn’t push the winning run home.

“It was a bit of what has been plaguing us in losses, we left guys on base,” MCC Coach Jon Olsen said. “We loaded the bases with no outs in the second inning and didn’t score.”

MCC got an 11-strikeout performance from sophomore Jessie Bloom in the second game and the Indians came back from a 3-0 deficit to score twice in the third inning and put together three-run outputs in both the fifth and sixth innings.

The Indians are scheduled to open the season at home March 9-10 against Lamar. Both games are set for 1 p.m. with a Saturday doubleheader and a nine-inning game Sunday.

After an error and two walks Lucas delivered a two-run single and Kaleb Taylor (McCook) made it an 8-3 game on a single to right field.

Sophomore Shaun Hickey, (Summerville, New Brunswick) pitched a scoreless, hitless seventh inning while striking out one.

“We pitched well all day and got the timely hits in the second game,” Olsen said.“Jesse Bloom was awesome in Game 2, and I’m proud of our guys. We were down 3-0 after tough loss and came back for good win.”

Saturday’s scheduled nine-inning game was postponed because of weather..

MCC is 4-5 this season and 2-2 in the Empire League (Region IX) while Otero is 4-14 overall and 1-4 in the league.

“We are 2-2 in the league with pair of one run losses tough to handle,” Olsen said.