Indians take doubleheader from Rattlers

The McCook Community College baseball team swept a pair of games Friday at home doubling up Otero Junior College 11-1 and 9-3.

The Indians opened up the series by breaking up a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning and scoring six runs to walk off the win in five innings on the 10-run rule.

Sophomore Jackson Yeager (Omaha Westside) went four-for-four in Game 1 with two RBIs including the walk-off winner. Sophomore Aiden Johnson (Westminster, Colo.) picked up the win on the mound, allowing one run on two hits, one walk and six strikeouts.

“We swung the bat very well came up with some big hits to drive in runs,” said Olsen. “Yeager had a huge day for us, great Game 1 and a huge two-out, two-run single in Game 2 to put us up by three runs.”

Yeager reached base eight times on the day on a six-for-six day at the plate with three runs scored, two walks and five RBIs.

MCC scored three times in the first inning of Game 2, two in the third, one in the fourth, two in the sixth and three in the seventh.

“In Game 2 we didn’t cash in on multiple huge inning opportunities, but we just kept playing the game and took advantage of some free passes and mistakes,” said Olsen. “But our pitching and defense allowed us to keep their run total down and we kept extending the lead. We really pitched and defended at a high level today.”

Otero falls to 10-19 and 2-4 in Region IX play.

MCC improves to 10-14 and 5-1 in the region. The Indians and Otero play another doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m.

“Tomorrow is a new day and we’ll need to come out ready to go,” said Olsen.

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

 

GAME 1 – McCook CC 11, Otero JC 1: Otero got their only two hits in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. MCC worked four walks in the bottom of the inning and got an RBI-single from Jackson Yeager to take a 2-1 lead.

MCC added three runs in the third on a walk, a Yeager single, an RBI-double by Jason Serafinchon (Spruce Grove, Alberta), an RBI-single from Luke Bies (sophomore, Omaha Gross) and traded a doubleplay for the final run of the inning to go up 5-1.

Johnson kept the Rattler offense in check walking just one hitter to lead off the third but picked up the win on the mound. In five innings, he allowed two hits, one run and one walk along with six strikeouts.

“Aiden was very good on the mound,” said Olsen. “That’s back-to-back starts where he has been really good, he’s really stepped up.”

The Indians finished the game with eight hits in the fifth inning including Yeager’s double to lead off the inning, an RBI-double by freshman Maddox Shaver (Belleville Ontario), an RBI-triple by sophomore Jake Quinlivan (Sydney, Australia) and an RBI-single by sophomore Blake Dale (Riverton, Wyo.). With two outs MCC got consecutive RBI-singles by Michael Quick (sophomore, Oshawa, Ontario), Cory Wouters (freshman, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) and Yeager.

Yeager led the 11-hit offense with four hits. Bies had two hits.

 

GAME 2 – McCook CC 9, Otero JC 3: Five of McCook’s first six hitters reached base on walks in the first inning leading to a 3-0 lead. Otero cut it to 3-1 with a run in the third.

Maddox Shaver delivered an RBI-single in a two-run MCC third to put the Indians up 4-1. Otero responded with two runs in the fourth.

Freshman Leif Friedrich (Surrey, British Columbia) pitched the first three innings, giving up three runs on three hits, four walks and four strikeouts.

Sophomore Zack Lane (Phoenix, Ariz.) handled the middle three innings on the mound, allowing four hits and three walks and no runs to go along with one strikeout.

With two-on and two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Jackson Yeager drove in two runs to put MCC up 6-3. The Indians took advantage of a pair of walks to start the seventh inning and scored a run on a passed ball, a two-out bases-loaded walk with Yeager at the plate, and a wild pitch.

Sophomore Ethan Badcock (Adelaide, Australia) pitched the final three innings for MCC allowing no runs on two hits a walk and four strikeouts.

MCC had five hits in the game with two by Yeager, but the Indians drew 13 walks.