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Pioneers Split Opening Weekend In Sterling, Co

Pioneers Split Opening Weekend In Sterling, Co
Posted: Feb 19, 2024

Game 1 - Pioneers 5... Northeastern JC 11

The 2024 MCC Pioneer baseball season did not get off to the start they had hoped for. NJC scored 11 runs on only 7 hits and took advantage of 8 walks leading to a 11-5 win to start the 2024 campaign. MCC batters struck out 15 times and knocked 10 hits in the loss. 

Coleman Parry (1B - American Fork, Utah) was the hot hitter for the Pioneers going 4-4 (HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R) and the only other Pioneer with multiple hits was Brady Bickett (CF - Rapid City, SD) as he went 2-3 (RBI, R, BB). Jessen West (2B - Billings, MT) collected a double in 3 at bats. 

NJC scored 3 runs in the 1st, added one in the 2nd, and put up 4 more in the 3rd to take a commanding 8-1 lead after 3 innings. 

Chase Goode (Castle Rock, CO) got the start for the Pioneers and went 3 innings (7 H, 8 R, 2 BB, 2 SO) before giving way to Sam Hall (Eureka, MT) for 1.2 innings (2 R, 4 BB). Spencer Searcey (Denver, CO) finished the final 1.1 innings (R, 2 BB). 

Inside the Box Score

  • MCC had 10 hits and 15 strikeouts. 4 Pioneer batters were issued walks. 
  • NJC had 7 hits and only 2 Strikeouts. 8 Plainsmen batters were issued walks. 
  • NJC had 8 stolen bases and the Pioneers had only 2.
  • Each team committed one error. 

 

Game 2 - Pioneers 19... Northeastern JC 4

After a rough start at the plate in game 1, the Pioneers took the hats off the bats and popped 14 hits, including 6 home runs, and piled up 19 runs in 6 innings to get a split on opening day with a 19-4 for Coach Mike O'Connell's first win at the helm of the Pioneer program. 

Jace Notbohm (DH - Miles City, MT) was the star of the game popping 3 home runs in a 3-5 effort that also included 9 RBI. Kade Mosely (3B - Miles City, MT) went 2-4 (2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 R) while Luke Wilson (C - Calgary, Alberta) went 2-4 (HR, RBI, 3 R). Jessen West added a 2-5 effort (BB, RBI, 2 R). 

Lance Bratlien (RF - Helena, MT) homered in a 1-2 (2 BB, 2 RBI, 3 R) at the plate. Coleman Parry backed his 4-4 effort in game one with another home run going 1-1 (4 BB) as Plainsmen pitcher appeared to not want to face Parry's bat. 

Trae Awbery (Miles City, MT) got the start on the mound and pitched 4 innings (3 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 7 SO) and was spelled by Tyler Cutler (Helena, MT) for 1 inning (2 BB, 2 SO). Chandler Smith (Miles City, MT) finished the final inning with 2 strikouts. 

Inside the Box Score

  • MCC popped 14 hits (6 home runs) but had 10 strikeouts.
  • NJC had 3 hits and struck out 11 times. 
  • NJC pitchers issued 11 walks. MCC pitchers issued only 4 walks. 
  • NJC had 3 errors and MCC had 1. 
  • Miles had 3 stolen bases and NJC had 2.

 

Game 3 - Pioneers 14... Northeastern JC 7

What a twist of events in game 3 of the 4 game weekend series in Sterling, Colorado. The Northeastern Junior College Plainsmen jumped all over the MCC Pioneers in the 1st game on Monday morning taking a commanding 7-0 lead after 5 innings as NJC pitcher Noah Soper was in command of the game giving up only 1 hit, 2 walks, and striking out 10 Pioneer batters. NJC coach Andrew Kachel then decided to go to his bullpen to kick off the 6th inning and the MCC Pioneer bats took full advantage. 

The Pioneers subsequently belted out 11 hits and plated 14 runs in the final 2 innings rallying for a 14-7 win in game 3 of the weekend series in Sterling, Colorado. The Pioneers picked up 4 runs in the top of the 6th inning after the pitching change as Jessen West (SS - Billings, MT) singled to lead off the inning. Coleman Parry (1B - American Fork, UT) walked and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. With 2 outs, Jace Notbohm (RF - Miles City, MT) walked to load the bases. Lance Bratlien (LF - Helena, MT) promptly deposited a grand slam over the center field fence cutting the lead to 7-4. 

In the big top of the 7th inning when the Pioneers ran away with the game scoring 10 runs, Jessen West started the inning on 1st base after being hit by a pitch. Davis Mosier (PH - Billings, MT) homered in his 1st at bat for the Pioneers cutting the lead to 7-6. Coleman Parry, Kade Mosely (3B - Miles City, MT), and Notbohm all singled to load up the bases with no outs. Lance Bratlien continued his hot hitting with a 2-run double to center field giving the Pioneers a 8-7 lead. Brandon Hegedus (C - Littleton, CO) walked to load the bases again. Brady Bickett (C - Rapid City, SD) hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Notbohm. Jessen West singled to score Bratlien and Mosier added an RBI single for a 11-7 Pioneer lead. Coleman Parry finished the onslaught with another home run to right field giving the Pioneers the final margin of 14-7.

Mosier was 2-2 (HR, 3 RBI, 2 R) and Parry was 2-3 (HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB). Notbohm was 2-3 (2 R, BB) and Bratlien was 2-4 (2B, HR, 6 RBI). 

Mason Peters (Columbia Falls, MT) got the start on the mound for MCC and pitched 3.1 innings (5 H, 6 R, 3 BB, 5 SO) before giving way to Mason Shively (Three Forks, MT) for 0.2 innings (0 H, 0 R). Jacob Walker (Brisbane, Australia) finished the final 3 innings (3 H, R, 3 BB, 3 SO).

Inside the Box Score

  • The Pioneers smacked 12 hits but struck out 13 times. 
  • The Plainsmen had 8 hits and struck out 8 times. 
  • Each team issued 6 walks. 
  • MCC had one stolen base and NJC had 2. 
  • The Pioneers committed the only 2 errors of the game. 

 

Game 4 - Pioneers 4... Northeastern JC 14

The final game of the 4 game series was all NJC as 3 Pioneer errors and 8 walks issued by MCC pitching were too much to overcome as NJC plated 4 runs in the 1st inning and then finished the game early with 5 runs in the 5th to earn a split of the series. NJC was able to score 14 runs on only 6 hits in the contest. They also got 3 runs in the 3rd and 2 more in the 4th. 

The Pioneers picked up 2 runs in the 2nd inning after a Notbohm single and another home run by Bratlien. The runs in the 4th inning came after a Bratlien double and a Luke Wilson (C -Calgary, Alberta) single put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Taichi Fuchinaga (2B - Honolulu, HI) drove in those 2 with a single to center field. 

Jessen West (SS) was 2-3 at the plate and Bratlien was also 2-2 (2B, HR). They were the only Pioneers with multiple hits. 

Brady Bickett got the start on the mound and pitched 3 innings (3 H, 5 BB, 4 SO) and was replaced by Bratlien for 1 inning (2 H, 2 R, BB, SO). Brandon Hegedus finished the final 0.2 innings (H, 2 BB, 5 R, SO).

Inside the Box Score

  • The Pioneers had 7 hits and struck out 7 times. 
  • The Plainsmen had 6 hits and struck out 6 times. 
  • NJC had 7 stolen bases and the Pioneers had only 1. 

The Pioneers will head south again next weekend for a 4-game series in Scottsbluff, Nebraska against Western Nebraska CC. Games are Saturday (12:00/3:00) and Sunday (11:00/2:00).