Game 1 - Pioneers 9... William Penn JV 5
After seeing William Penn JV jump out to a 3-0 lead after 1/2 inning, the Pioneers rallied for 7 in the bottom of the 1st and made that hold up in a 9-5 win Wednesday afternoon.
William Penn scored the first 3 runs to start the game and LF Liz Ybarra (Belgrade, MT) started the bottom of the 1st with a walk. SS Sierra John (Idaho Falls, ID) promptly doubled in Ybarra to cut the lead to 3-1. 2B Abby Johnson (Hamilton, MT) then had an infield single to move John to 3rd base. John then scored on a passed ball and Johnson moved to 3rd on the same passed ball. P Hazel Eaton (Belgrade, MT) reached on an error by the Penn shortstop and Johnson scored. 1B Lili Nihi (Moanalua, HA) and C Megan Johnson (Preston, ID) both walked to load the bases. CF Skyler Higgs (Livingston, MT) singled to leftfield to drive in Eaton. Ybarra then drew a bases loaded walk to make the score 5-3. John then singled to left and drive in 2 more to put the Pioneers comfortably on top 7-3.
William Penn added a run in the 3rd but the Pioneers scored 2 more in the 4th when John singled again and advanced to 2nd on an Abby Johnson ground ball to 3rd that was booted. 3B Megan Toplovich (Great Falls, MT) had an RBI single to shallow centerfield to bring in John and then Abby Johnson scored on an error by the 2B.
John had a 3-3 (double) effort at the plate that included 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. The Pioneers had only 6 hits in the game and struck out 9 times but benefitted from 6 WP JV errors.
Hazel Eaton got the start in the circle and went 5 complete innings. She gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and struck out 8 batters. She walked only 2. Madi Henry (Spanish Fork, UT) went the final 2 innings and gave up a run on a hit. She struck out 2.
Game 2 - Pioneers 16... Dakota Wesleyan JV 7
The Pioneers bolted out to a 10-0 lead after 1.5 innings on the strength of a 9-run 2nd inning. Liz Ybarra led off with a single and moved to 3rd on a single by Abby Johnson. Johnson tried to steal 2nd and was out but Ybarra scored and MCC led 1-0.
In the 2nd, CF Reed Johnson (Columbus, MT), RF Alexa Lewis (Bozeman, MT), and C Morgan Lampshire (Murray, UT) all walked and that was followed by a 3-run double to centerfield by Ybarra. Sierra John then doubled in Ybarra on a shot to rightfield. Abby Johnson drew a walk and 1B Hazel Eaton singled to center to drive in John. Kelealani Waiau (Puget Sound, WA) blasted a 3-run shot to leftfield and the Pioneers led 9-0. Reed Johnson reached 3rd on an error and was driven in on a 3B Jocelyn Lujan (Murray, UT) ground out to 2B.
MCC picked up another run in the 3rd when Ybarra singled and advanced to 2nd on a John ground out. Abby Johnson drove in Ybarra. A 5-run 4th inning started with a Reed Johnson single to center. Lewis reached on an error by 2B and Lewis scored. Lewis then stole 2nd, 3rd, and home in succession for a 13-1 lead. LF Sam Burke (Cut Bank, MT) singled and Mars Weaver (Rexburg, ID) walked. Abby Johnson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Madi Henry then hit a bases clearing double to RF to end the scoring for the Pioneers.
Ybarra went 3-3 (2B) with 3 RBI and 3 run scored. Abby Johnson was 2-2 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Reed Johnson was 2-3 with 3 runs scored. The Pioneers had 12 hits and 7 walks in the game.
Kelealani Waiau pitched 4.1 innings giving up 7 runs on 6 hits. She walked 5 and struck out 6. Alex Carr pitched the final 0.2 innings and gave up a hit and 2 walks. She had a strikeout.
The Pioneers will face Phoenix College on Thursday at 12:15 and 2:30 PM MST.