Game 1 - Pioneers 10... Williston State 2 (5 Innings)
A change of scenery did not make any difference to the MCC Pioneer softball team. A day after scoring 36 runs in 2 games in Miles City, the Pioneers made quick work of Williston State with a 10-2 win in 5 innings of game one in Williston.
The Pioneers got on the board right off the bat when C HaiLeigh Davis (Shepherd, MT) walked and LF Liz Ybarra (Belgrade, MT) followed that up with a double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. After loading the bases, 2B Abby Johnson (Hamilton, MT) hit a RBI sacrifice fly scoring Davis and a 1-0 lead.
Things got more exciting in the 2nd inning for the Pioneers when 1B Lili Nihi (Moanalua, HI) walked and RF Sam Burke (Cut Bank, MT) reached on an error. 3B Megan Toplovich (Great Falls, MT) then singled to load the bases. HaiLeigh Davis followed that with a 2 RBI single that gave the Pioneers a 3-0 lead. SS Sierra John (Idaho Falls, ID) singled in Toplovich for a 4-0 lead. CF Reed Johnson (Columbus, MT) capped the 2nd inning scoring with an 2 RBI single that scored Davis and John for a 6-0 Pioneer lead.
In the 3rd inning, Nihi was hit by a pitch and stole 2nd and then Toplovich took advantage with an RBI single and a 7-0 lead. The Pioneers tacked on another in the 4th when Ybarra singled and reached 2nd when Reed Johnson got on after a Teton error. Ybarra and Johnson advanced on a fielder's choice on a grounder by Abby Johnson. P Madi Henry (Spanish Fork, UT) helped herself with a RBI single to make it 8-0.
Williston State added 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th to make it 8-2 but the Pioneers squelched any hopes of a comeback with 2 more in the top of the 5th to get to an 8-run lead. Toplovich doubled and scored on a Morgan Lampshire (Murray, UT) triple. Megan Johnson (Preston, ID) drove in Lampshire with a single and the Pioneers would hold on to win by the score of 10-2.
Game 2 - Pioneers 13... Williston State 2 (5 Innings)
The Pioneers completed the 4-game sweep of Williston State with another convincing victory in 5 innings on Sunday afternoon in Williston. Once again, the Pioneers scored early and often and kept the Teton bats at bay.
The Pioneers picked up 3 runs in the 1st inning when 2B Abby Johnson walked, stole 2nd, and scored on a Liz Ybarra single. Ybarra scored after 3 passed balls by Williston pitching. Reed Johnson and Morgan Lampshire each walked and Johnson scored after another passed ball and an error on the catcher.
Sam Burke led off the 2nd inning with a solo home run and the Pioneers then loaded the bases on 3 consecutive walks (2 hit batsmen and a walk). Ybarra belted an RBI single to make the score 4-0 and keep the bases loaded. Megan Toplovich then singled for an RBI and kept the bases loaded again and the Pioneers led 6-0. Ybarra then scored on a Lampshire ground ball and Teton error.
The Pioneers took an inning off in the 3rd from scoring but resumed again in the 4th. Sierra John was hit by a pitch and scored on a single by HaiLeigh Davis. Davis stole 2nd and scored on an RBI single by Mars Weaver (Rexburg, ID) to make the score 9-1. MCC reeled off 4 runs in the 5th inning after getting 2 quick outs. Abby Johnson tripled and scored on a passed ball. Sierra John was hit by a pitch and HaiLeigh Davis walked and both scored on a triple by Megan Johnson for an 12-2 lead. Weaver followed that with an RBI double to finish off the Pioneer scoring.
Alex Carr (Idaho Falls, ID) pitched a complete game allowing 2 runs on 6 hits. She didn't walk any Tetons and struck out 4.
The Pioneers move to 9-5 in MonDak Conference play and 16-10 overall. They are scheduled to play Lake Region State College next Friday and Saturday in Miles City. Games on Friday will begin at 1:00 PM.