Indians overpower Rangers for road sweep

ALVA, Okla. – The McCook Community College baseball team took advantage of a couple big innings Tuesday on the way to a doubleheader sweep over Northwestern Oklahoma State JV’s, winning 10-4 and 12-8.

The Indians spiked the plate six times in the fifth inning in Game 1 and scored six times in the second inning of Game 2 to even the season slate at 10-10.

“Offensively it took us a while to get going in Game 1 but we got after it in the mid-late innings which was good to see. It would just be nice to get off to a little better start on the day,” said MCC Coach Jon Olsen.

Freshman Marcus Coronado (Irving, Texas) had a four-hit game in Game 2 and scored four runs with five hits and four RBIs on the day. Sophomore Kade Wroot (North Platte) went four-for-eight on the day scoring three runs and driving home three and sophomore Caleb Eiguren (Broomfield, Colo.) came off the bench to belt a three-run double in the first game and drove in two more runs in the second game.

“We got really good bullpen performances in both games especially in Game 2 when we needed it,” said Olsen. “I’m happy for those guys they pitched well.”

Jordan Muschalcheck (freshman, Odessa, Texas) picked up the win in relief in Game 1 going four innings. Sophomore Eduardo Ojeda (Coral Springs, Texas) went two innings in relief in Game 2 to pick up the win. Quentin Warner (freshman, Elgin, Ill.) pitched the final seven outs to pick up the save in relief of Ojeda.

This weekend the Indians host Lamar Community College (7-14, 5-5 in Region IX play) for a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. Starting time both days is at 1 p.m. at the Jaycees Sports Complex.

“We have a big weekend ahead of us so hopefully this helps us get better and ready to go,” Olsen said.

GAME 1 – McCOOK CC 10, NW OKLA. ST. 4: After being shut out in the first three innings, MCC tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth when freshman Zach Beatty (Maple Park, Ill.) led off with a double and came home on a two-out double off the bat of sophomore Ryan Nourse (Centennial, Colo.).

In the Fifth, the Indians drew a pair of one-out walks and went up for good on a Ricardo Hernandez (sophomore, Ponce, Puerto Rico) single, followed by an RBI single from Beatty, a bases loaded hit-by-pitch with Nourse at the plate, and a pinch-hit, two-out, three-run double from Caleb Eiguren to give MCC a 7-1 lead.

Kade Wroot doubled in two more runs in the sixth inning and the Tribe added a 10th run on an RBI-groundout from Marcus Coronado.

Freshman Ethan Fritz (Bellevue, Neb.) started the game for MCC, allowing two hits and one run over three innings. He struck out two. Jordan Muschalcheck surrendered three runs on four hits over four innings, while fanning five.

Freshman Arjun Huerta (Willemstad, Curacao) and Beatty led the 10-hit MCC attack, both and a double and a single. Eiguren drove home three, and Wroot and Nourse two each.

GAME 2 – McCOOK CC 10, NW OKLA. ST. 4: Caleb Eiguren put MCC on the scoreboard in the first inning with the third of three singles (the others from Marcus Conorado and Kade Wroot). The Rangers tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the inning.

The Indians scored six times in the second inning on three walks, four singles, a fielder’s choice and an error.

Northwest Oklahoma State came back with three runs in the second inning and tied the game with three more runs in the third off MCC starter Blake Davidson (freshman, Calgary, Alberta). He was charged with four earned runs, allowed, four hits and walked four in 2.2 innings. The Rangers took an 8-7 lead in the fourth inning.

MCC was able to add on runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to preserve the win.

Daniel Bannon (freshman, Sydney, Australia) led off the MCC fifth with a triple and tied the game 8-8 on a Coronado double. He later scored on a Zach Beatty sacrifice fly to put the Tribe in the lead for good.

Arjun Huerta poked a solo home run in the sixth inning to make it a 10-8 MCC lead and the Indians took advantage of a couple Ranger errors in the seventh to score two more runs, one on an RBI-single from Ryan Nourse.

Eduardo Ojeda went two innings in relief and allowed one earned run, on two hits one walk and three strikeouts to pick up the win. Quentin Warner came on with one out in the fifth, then picked up the seven-out save pitching the sixth and seventh innings and allowed no runs on one hit.

Coronado paced the 15-hit MCC offense with a four-hit, three-RBI game. Wroot had three hits and Bannon two.