Game 1 - Pioneers 9... Lake Region State 1 (5 Innings)
Peyton Whitehead (Joliet, MT) tossed a 2-hitter and the Pioneers used 7 stolen bases to take care of Lake Region State 9-1 in 5 innings in the 3rd game of a 4-game series Sunday morning in Miles City.
The Pioneers scored twice in each of the first 2 innings and then put up a 4 spot in the 5th inning to end the game early on the 8-run rule.
Shannon Nelson (SS - Livingston, MT) led the game off with a walk and moved to 2nd on a ground out. Nelson then stole 3rd base and home to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead. Brook Richardson (1B - Helena, MT) walked, moved to 2nd on a wild pitch and eventually scored on the play. They tacked on 2 more runs in the 2nd inning when Khloey Robinson (LF - Belgrade, MT) singled and stole 2nd base. She scored on a RBI single from Megan Brownson (DP - Billings, MT). Brownson stole 2nd base, moved to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt from Arin Eaton (RF - Belgrade, MT) and scored on a sacrfice fly RBI from Nelson.
The Pioneers built a 5-0 lead in the 3rd inning on a Dalilah Hernandez (Laurel, MT) single and stolen base. Isabelle Adams (3B - Park City, MT) drove Hernandez home with a hard single. Lake Region got their only run of the game in the bottom of the 3rd and the Pioneers put a wrap on the game with 4 runs in the 5th inning.
Cassidy Bagnell (CF - Frenchtown, MT) kicked the inning off with a walk and Taylor Feller (C - Laurel, MT) singled. Bagnell and Feller executed a double steal and Bagnell scored on a sacrifice fly from Hernandez that was dropped by Lake Region. Feller scored on a sacrifice fly from Adams. Robinson walked to put runners on the corners and Brownson came thru with her 2nd RBI single of the game and Robinson moved to 3rd base. Robinson then scored on a passed ball by the LRSC catcher.
Whithead pitched 5 innings and gave up only 2 hits and 1 walk. She struck out 4 Royal batters.
Inside the Box Score
- MCC had 6 hits and LRSC had only 2.
- Each team committed 2 errors.
- Brownson was the only Pioneer with 2 hits.
- MCC took advantage of 7 walks and 7 stolen bases.
Game 2 - Pioneers 16... Lake Region State 5
Lake Region built a 5-3 lead after 2 inning before the Pioneers exploded for 13 runs over the final 4 innings to cruise to their 6th consecutive win.
MCC scored 3 runs in the top of the 1st inning with Shannon Nelson leading off with a bunt single. Cassidy Bagnell hit an infield single that pushed Nelson to 3rd on a Royal error. Bagnell stole 2nd and both runners scored on a Taylor Feller single. With one out, Dalilah Hernandez singled moving Feller to 3rd. Isabelle Adams hit a sacrifice fly driving in Keller. Lake Region answered with 4 in the bottom of the 1st inning and scored one more in the 2nd to build a 5-3 lead. The pitching combination of Arin Eaton and Rian Ferriter shut down the Royals for the remainder of the contest.
MCC tied the game with 2 runs on the 3rd inning and then finished things off with 11 runs over the final 3 innings. MCC took advantage of 11 walks, 2 hit batters, and 3 Royal errors to pile up their 16 runs. Feller was hit by a pitch and Hernandez walked. Isabell Adams singled to drive in Feller and Hernandez scored when Khloey Robinson reached base on an error.
In the 4th inning, Abi Maddock (1B - Belgrade, MT) and Shannon Nelson walked before Cassidy Bagnell singled to load the bases. Maddock scored on a passed ball and the other runners moved up a base. Nelson scored on a sacrifice fly RBI from Feller. Brooke Richardson doubled to drive in Bagnell and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The 5th inning was highlighted by a 2 RBI double from Robinson. The 6th inning was highlighted by a 2 RBI single from pitcher Peyton Whitehead as she gets few chances to bat during the season. Sierra Tuss (Belgrade, MT) followed that with a 2 RBI single to complete the route of the Royals and the 4-game sweep.
Cassidy Bagnell had a 3-5 effort at the plate and scored 3 times. Taylor Feller scored 4 runs and had 3 RBI on just a 1-1 effort at the plate as she walked once and was hit by pitch twice. Brooke Richardson was 2-4 with a double and 2 runs scored. Peyton Whitehead got here chance at the plate on sophomore day and went 1-1 with 2 RBI. Isabelle Adams had 2 RBI and walked 3 times. Khloey Robinson and Sierra Tuss (Belgrade, MT) each had 2 RBI.
Inside the Box Score
- The Pioneers had 13 hits compared to just 6 for the Royals.
- MCC had 5 errors and LRSC had 3.
- The Pioneers had 3 stolen bases and the Royals had 2.
- Lake pitchers struck out 5 Pioneers and MCC pitchers struck out 3.
The Pioneers are 12-4 in MonDak Conference play and 18-9 overall. Lake Region dipped to 1-9 in conference and 5-21 overall. MCC will play league leading NDSCS Wildcats on Monday afternoon in a make up game from late March. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM.