Game 1 - Pioneers 12... Minnesota West Community & Technical College 2 (6 Innings)
The Pioneers got an inside the park home run from Brady Bickett (CF - Rapid City, SD) that fueled their way to a 12-2 win over Minnestoa West Community & Technical College on Wednesday morning in Tucson, Arizona.
Bickett's home run came in the 3rd inning that gave the Pioneers a 4-0 lead that was never in doubt from that point.
The Pioneers scored 2 runs in the first inning when Bickett singled on a bunt and scored on a triple by Jace Notbohm (DH - Miles City, MT). Notbohm then scored after a sacrifice fly from fellow Miles City native Kade Mosley (3B) and a 2-0 lead. MCC tacked on another run in the tip of the 2nd innings.
After Bickett's home run, the Pioneers added another after Notbohm was hit by a pitch and Jessen West (SS - Bilings, MT) sacrificed him to 2nd base. Notbohm moved to 3rd after a throwing error by MWCT. Mosley walked and Lance Bratlien (RF - Helena, MT) grounded out by Notbohm scored. Tanner Goertz (LF - Highlands Ranch, CO) then drove in Mosely with a single to right field.
MWCT added 2 runs in the 4th but the Pioneers put things away with 5 runs in the 5th innings. Mosley walked with one out and Bratlien popped up but reached on an error and Mosley moved to 2nd. Goertz walked to load the bases. Taichi Fuchinaga (Honolulu, HI) singled to score Mosley and Coleman Parry singled to score Bratlien. Chandler Smith was hit by a pitch and Goertz scored. Bickett then hit a sacrifice fly RBI and Fuchinaga scored and the Pioneers led 10-2. The Pioneers got the game to 11-2 when Parry scored while MWCT was arguing a call.
The Pioneers final run in the 6th inning after a Mosley doubled and was driven in with 2 outs by Goertz.
Bickett was 2-3 (HR, 2 RBI, 2 R), Goertz was 2-3 (2 RBI, R), and Fuchinaga 2-4 (2B, 2 R).
Jacob Walker (Brisbane, Australia) pitched a complete game 6 innings (3 H, 2 R, BB, 5 KO to get the win.)
Inside the Box Score
- The Pioneers had 9 hits and MWCT had just 3.
- MWCT had 3 errors and MCC had 2.
- The Pioneers had 4 stolen bases.
- MWCT committed 3 errors and MCC had had 1.
- Pioneer batters struck out 6 times. MWCT batters struck out 5 times.
- Jacob Walker issued only 1 walk. Pioneer batters walked 4 times.
Game 2 - Pioneers 15... Minnesota West Community & Technical College 7
The Pioneer bats stayed hot in game 2 by pounding out 15 hits and scoring 15 runs in a 15-7 win over MWCT on Wednesday afternoon.
The Pioneers got 2 doubles from Jessen West and Kade Mosley, along with doubles by Lance Bratlien and Tanner Goertz. Brady Bickett used his speed to crank a triple and MCC got home runs from Jace Notbohm and Coleman Parry (1B - American Fork, UT).
MCC picked up 5 runs in the 1st inning, 2 more in the 2nd, and 4 runs in the 3rd to build an 11-2 lead. MWCT scored twice in the 4th and 6th innings and then had 1 in the 7th.
Taichi Fuchinaga had a nice 3-3 (RBI, 2 R) effort at the plate. Brady Bickett was 2-4 (3B, 3 R, BB), Jace Notbohm was 2-3 (HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SO), and Jessen West ended 2-3 (2 2B, 2 RBI, R. Kade Mosley helped out with a 2-3 effort (2 R, 2 RBI, BB, SO). Coleman Parry hit a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 6th inning.
Mayson Shively (Three Forks, MT) got the pitching start and went 2 innings (4 H, 2 R, ER, 2 BB) and was relieved by Spencer Searcey (Denver, CO) for 3 innings (5 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 3 SO). The closer was Hayden Meehan for the final 2 innings (H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB).
Inside the Box Score
- The Pioneers had 7 stolen bases and MWCT had 0.
- MCC batters scruck out only 3 times. MWCT struck out 3 times.
- MCC had 15 hits and MWCT had 10. The Pioneers had 7 extra base hits.
- Each team committed one error.
The Pioneers are now 8-7. They have another doubleheader on Thursday against Northland Community & Technical College at 12:30 & 3:30 PM.