Big second inning lifts Colby past MCC baseball

COLBY, Kan. – The Colby Community College scored nine runs in the second inning Tuesday and went on to a 17-7 win over the McCook Community College baseball team in seven innings. The Trojans also scored five runs in the sixth inning.

“We gave up two big innings especially the second, when things start going the wrong way you have to step up and find a way to collect outs and we just didn’t do that when we needed it most,” said MCC Coach Jon Olsen.

Sophomore Michael Quick (Oshawa, Ontario) led off the game with a single and scored on a single by Will Edwards (sophomore, Sydney, Australia).

Blake Benallo (Thornton, Colo.) pitched a scoreless inning to start the game for MCC on the mound, pitching around a pair of walks. Colby scored nine runs on eight hits in the second inning off Brady Augustin (freshman, Surrey, British Columbia). He hit two batters and walked one.

Leif Friedrich (Surrey, British Columbia) pitched a scoreless third inning, striking out two. Freshman Jean Duran (San Carlos, Dominican Republic) came on in the fourth and gave up a run on two walks, a stolen base, an error and an RBI-groundout.

“It was good to see Blake Benallo and Leif Friedrich throw good innings we need that as we move down the stretch,” said Olsen.

Trailing 10-1 in the fifth inning, MCC got a leadoff homerun by freshman Cory Wouters (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan). After a walk and a hit batter, Josh Jedretich (Melbourne, Australia) doubled in two and with two outs Quick doubled home Jedretich to make it a 10-5 game.

Wouters led off the sixth with a home run to close the gap to 10-6. It was his second of the game, eighth of the season and fourth in the past three games – having a two-homer game Sunday.

“Cory had a huge day at the plate which was good to see him have a nice power day,” said Olsen.

Owen Glover (Elderslice, New South Wales) followed Wouters with a single and later he came home on an RBI-double by sophomore Jason Serafinchon (Spruce Grove, Alberta) to pull the Indians within 10-7.

Duran pitched into the sixth inning before Colby scored five runs to lead 15-7. Duran went 2.2 innings allowing six earned runs on four hits, five walks and two strikeouts.

A.J. Matta (Arvada, Colo.) pitched the final 2.1 innings and allowed one earned run on two hits and fanned two. Colby ended the game on the 10-run rule with a run in the sixth and one in the seventh.

MCC had 11 hits in the game with four by Wouters and two each by Quick and Serafinchon.

Colby goes to 11-37 on the season. MCC falls to 24-20.

The Indians travel to Hastings Wednesday for a game against the Tiger JV. Game time is at 4 p.m.

Weather has already changed this weekend’s four-game Region IX series against Western Nebraska. Because of weather concerns in Scottsbluff MCC and Western Nebraska will move the scheduled Friday doubleheader up to Thursday with a 2 p.m. (CT) first pitch.

All the latest information for MCC baseball including up-to-date schedule and changes as well as statistics, rosters and photos can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com