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Pioneers Win Two on Opening Day of Arizona Trip

Pioneers Win Two on Opening Day of Arizona Trip
Posted: Mar 03, 2023

Game 1 - Pioneers 11... Malone University 2

 The MCC Pioneer baseball team started the Arizona Spring Break trip in grand fashion by scoring 10 runs over the first 4 innings enroute to a 11-2 victory over Malone University. 1B Kam Kostial (Rexburg, ID) exploded for 4 hits (2 2B, 2 1B) in 5 at bats and had 5 RBI to lead the way at the plate. CF Kruz Slevira (Billings, MT) made his 1st appearance in a Pioneer uniform a good one going 2-4 (2 RBI). C Takumi Kimoto (Brisbane, Australia) was 2-3 (2 RBI) and SS Jaeden Jordahl (Billings, MT), LF Grant Gabbert (Thorton, CO), and Michael Ohlin (Billings, MT) had the other hits for the Pioneers. 

The Pioneers scored 2 runs in the 1st inning after Jordahl doubled to lead off the game and advance to 3rd on a wild pitch. Grant Gabbert walked and Takumi Kimoto grounded out to the shortstop scoring Jordahl. DH Tommy O'Connell (Kalispell, MT) walked and Kostial had an RBI single. 

MCC got 2 more in the 3rd when Gabbert and Kimoto had back to back singles and then Gabbert scored on an error by the catcher and with one out Kostial singled to score courtesy runner Jack Corriveau (Kalispell, MT). The Pioneers got 6 runs in the 4th inning after loading the bases with two walks and a hit batsman. Kimoto then lined a hard single to the shortstop scoring Dalton Martin (Gillette, WY). O'Connell walked to bring in Jordahl and Kostial connected on a 3 RBI double to right field. Slevira then singled to right bringing in 2 more and the Pioneers led 10-0. 

The last run of the game came on another Kostial double that scored Corriveau. 

Bo Hays (Bozeman, MT) got the start on the mound and pitched 4 complete innings giving up no runs on 2 hits. He struck out 6 batters and walked 5. Hayden Meehan (Columbia Falls, MT) got the next 2 innings and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits. He struck out 3. Josh Banderob (Great Falls, MT) pitched the final inning and struck out 2 while walking one.

Inside the Box Score

  • MCC had 12 hits and Malone 7.
  • 11 Malone batters struck out. 8 Pioneer hitters struck out. 
  • Pioneer pitchers gave up 6 walks and Malone pitchers gave up 5. 
  • Malone had 4 errors and the Pioneers were perfect in the field. 

 

Game 2 - Pioneers 3... Riverland CC 2

Two hits is all the Pioneers could muster up but it was enough as MCC picked up 3 runs in the 5th inning after trailing 1-0 and then held off a late Riverland rally to win 3-2 on Friday in Tucson, AZ. Wyatt Searcy (Denver, CO) walked to lead off the 5th inning. Lane Neill (Belgrade, MT) then sacrificed Searcy to 2nd base. With 2 outs, Jaeden Jordahl walked and Grant Gabbert had an infield single to load up the bases. Takumi Kimoto then had the hit of the game with a bases clearing double giving the Pioneers a 3-1 lead. 

Jeremy Gee (Brigham City, UT) was solid on the mound going 5.1 innings (2 H, R, 2 BB, 8 SO) before Cameron Murphy (Torrington, WY) closed things out with 1.2 innings (R, H, BB, SO) as the Pioneers evened their season record at 3-3. 

Inside the Box Score

  • Each team had only 1 error in the game. 
  • Riverland pitchers walked 7 Pioneer batters. MCC pitchers walked only 3. 
  • The Pioneers struck out 12 times and Riverland struck out 9. 

The Pioneers play Northland Community College today at 3:00 PM.