Game 1 - Pioneers 13... Minnesota West Tech 1
Tanner Goertz (LF - Highlands Ranch, CO) and Lance Bratlien (RF - Helena, MT) provided the power from the leadoff and 2-spot in the Pioneer order combining for 5-7 effort at the plate that included 7 RBI and 5 runs scored. Goertz was 2-3 (HR, 4 RBI, 2 R) in the leadoff spot and Bratlien was 3-4 (2B, HR, BB, 3 RBI, 3 R) as the Pioneers scored runs in 6 of the 7 innings played.
Goertz and Bratlien hit back to back home runs to kick off the top of the 1st inning and provide MCC a 2-0 lead. The Pioneers scored 2 more in the 2nd inning on a single by Luke Thorne (3B - Missoula, MT) and Ethan Forrest (2B - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) walked and those 2 were sacrificed to 2nd and 3rd by Brady Bickett (CF - Rapid City, SD). Goertz then connected on a 2-out, 2-RBI single to give the Pioneers a 4-0 lead.
The Pioneers were held scoreless in the 3rd inning but got 4 runs in the 4th. Thorne singled and moved to 3rd on a wild pitch. Bickett walked and Bohden Bahnmiller (SS - Helena, MT) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Goertz walked to force in a run. Bickett socred on a wild pitch and Bratlien stayed hot with a 2-run double and the Pioneers led 8-0. The Pioneers got a run in the 5th inning as Davis Mosier (P - Billings, MT) walked and stole 2nd and then scored on a single by Forrest. MCC loaded the bases on a combination of walks and hit batsman in the 6th inning and then Ethan Forrest walked to bring in run #10.
The Pioneers got 3 runs in the 7th inning highlighted by a Luke Wilson (C - Calgary, Alberta) double that drove in 2 runs.
Davis Mosier got the start on the mound and pitched 5 innings (5 H, BB, 11 SO) and Colin Fortier (Rapid City, SD) pitched the final 2 innings (H, R, 5 SO)
Inside the Box Score
- The Pioneers had 10 hits (2 2B, 2 HR) and the Bluejays had 6 hits (2 2B, 3B).
- MCC batters struck out 5 times and walked 9 times.
- Bluejay batters struck out 16 times and walked just one.
- Each team had 1 error in the game.
- The Pioneers stole 7 bases and the Bluejays had 2.
Game 2 - Pioneers 17... Minnesota West Tech 7 (6 Innings)
The Pioneers picked up where they left off as Tanner Goertz and Lance Bratlien stayed hot as the Pioneers thumped Minnesota West 17-7 in 6 innings in the 2nd game of Sunday doubleheader. Goertz and Bratlien were once again 5-7 at the plate and had 9 RBI in the game. The Pioneers scored 6 runs in the 1st inning. Goertz was hit by a pitch and then scored on a couple Bluejay wild pitches. Bratlien walked and Coleman Parry (1B - American Fork, UT) singled pushing Bratlien to 3rd. Luke Thorne walked to load the bases and Bohden Bahnmiller (DH - Helena, MT) walked to bring in Bratlien. Parry scored on a groundout and then Ostyn Brennan (SS - Kalispell, MT) hit a 2-RBI single to put the Pioneers up 5-0. MCC picked up the final run of the inning on a RBI single by Goertz.
MCC scored a run in the 2nd inning on a solo home run off the bat of Brandon Hegedus (C - Littleton, CO). The Pioneers pushed the lead to 11-0 with 4 more runs in the 3rd inning as they loaded the bases on 2 walks and a hit batsman. Goertz hit another RBI single and Bratlien cleared the bases with a 3 RBI double.
The Bluejays picked up 2 runs in the top of the 4th inning and MCC got 2 more in the bottom of the 4th scoring on an error and a RBI single from Goertz. Minnesota North got 5 runs in the 5th inning to close the gap to 13-7 but MCC finished the game off with 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th. Casey Morgan (CF - Salt Lake City, UT) led the inning off with a double and that was followed by back to back walks to load the bases. Morgan scored on a fielder's choice and MCC had runners on 2nd and 3rd. Goertz delivered a RBI on a sacrifice fly and Bratlien brought in the final 2 runs with a single.
Trae Awbery (Miles City, MT) got the start and pitched 3 innings (3 H, 3 BB, 4 SO) before giving the ball to Bohden Bahnmiller (Helena, MT) for the next 1.2 innings (6 H, 7 R, 4 BB, 3 SO). Brady Bickett pitched the final 1.1 innings in perfect fashion with 2 strikeouts.
Inside the Box Score
- The Pioneers had 10 hits (HR, 2 2B) and the Bluejays had 9 hits (2 2B).
- MCC batters struck out 6 times and walked 10 times. Minnesota West batters struck out 9 times and walked 7 times.
- MCC had 6 stolen bases and MWTC had none.
- The Pioneers committed 4 errors and the Bluejays had 3.
The Pioneers are 15-5 overall and finish their spring break trip Monday with a doubleheader against Carthage College JV and Crown College JV.