Game 1 - Pioneers 6... Lake Region State 10

The MCC Pioneers got off to a quick start, were slowed down and shut out for the next 4 innings, rallied for a quick lead in the 6th, and then saw Lake Region plate 6 runs in the 7th inning snapping a 10-game winning streak on a cold Saturday afternoon in Miles City.

Lake Region got on the board first with a run in the top of the 1st inning. The Pioneers quickly tabbed 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st when SS Jaeden Jordahl (Billings, MT) singled, LF Grant Gabbert (Thorton, CO) and C Takumi Kimoto walked to load the bases. DH Tommy O'Connell (Kalispell, MT) singled to drive in Jordahl. Gabbert scored on a wild pitch and CF Kruz Slevira (Billings, MT) singled to drive in pinch runner Dalton Martin (Gillette, WY) and the Pioneers led 3-1 after an inning.

The scored remained 3-1 until the Royals tied the game in the 4th and took the lead with a run in the 5th. Facing a 4-3 deficit in the bottom of the 6th, 2B Jessen West (Billings, MT) was hit by a pitch and sacrificed to 2nd base on a bunt by RF Matt Burton (Helena, MT). Jordahl walked and the runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Kimoto then came up big with a 2 RBI double and then scored on a wild pitch for a 6-4 Pioneer lead. 

Lake Region then piled on 6 runs in the top of the 7th to take a 10-6 lead that they would hold on to for the victory. 

Jeremy Gee (Brigham City, UT) got the start for MCC and pitched 4 innings (4 H, 3 R, 4 SO) before Patrick Dietz (Manhattan, MT) pitched the next 2 innings (H, R, 3 BB, SO). Cameron Murphy (Torrington, WY) came in for the 7th inning (5 H, 6 R, BB, 2 SO)

Inside the Box Score

• The Pioneers scattered only 5 hits and no Pioneer had more than a hit. Kimoto had the only extra base hit. The Royals had 10 hits (2 HR, 3B).
• MCC drew 8 walks and had 2 hit batsmen. LRSC drew 4 walks and had 3 hit batsmen. 
• The Pioneers struck out 6 times and the Royals 7.
• MCC had 8 stolen bases (Jordahl 4). LRSC had no stolen bases. 
• Miles had 3 errors and Lake Region only 1. 

Game 2 - Pioneers 7... Lake Region State 1

A pitchers dual quickly turned in the favor of the MCC Pioneers when the Pioneers (trailing 1-0) scored 3 runs in the 5th inning and 4 more in the 6th for a 7-1 win and salvage a split of the Saturday doubleheader. 

In the top of the 5th, DH Tyler Tenney (Helena, MT) started the inning with a single. 3B Dyson Kinnaman followed that with a single that moved Tenney to 3rd. CF Brady Jones (Manhattan, MT) had a sacrifice bunt that scored Tenney to tie the game and move Kinnaman to 2nd. With 2 outs, Jaeden Jordahl singled to drive in Kinnaman and Grant Gabbert followed that with a triple to score Jordahl and MCC led 3-1. 

The Pioneers scored 4 more insurance runs in the top of the 6th inning starting with a RF Wyatt Searcey (Denver, CO) walk, a quick steal of 2nd, and a bunt single from C Michael Ohlin (Billings, MT) to put runners on the corners. Tyler Tenney walked to load the bases. Searcey and pinch runner Noah Aufdengarten each scored on a wild pitch for a 5-1 lead. Kruz Slevira walked and pinch runner Jack Corriveau scored after a Jessen West single and an error by the Lake Region pitcher. Slevira then scored on a sacrifice fly by Jordahl for the final 7-1 count. 

Bridger Erickson (St. Anthony, ID) started the game on the mound and went 2.1 innings (2 H, R, 3 BB, SO) before giving way to Bo Hays (Bozeman, MT) for the next 2.2 innings (H, 2 BB, 4 SO). Caeden Riley (Torrington, WY) closed out the final 2 innings (H, 3 BB, 2 SO).

Inside the Box Score

• MCC had 6 hits. No player had more than one hit. Gabbert had the only extra base hit with his triple. Lake Region had only 4 hits (no extra base hits). 
• Pioneer pitchers walked 8 Royal batters and hit one. Royal pitchers walked 8 Pioneers. 
• The Pioneers had 8 stolen bases. The Royals had none. 
• Each team committed one error. 

The Pioneers lead the MonDak Conference with a 12-2 record and are 26-9 overall. MCC will host NDSCS on Monday at 9:00 AM in a doubleheader.