MCC Baseball wins 21-5 over Seward County

LIBERAL, Kan. – The McCook Community College baseball team muscled up on Seward County Community College Monday winning 21-5. The Indians scored seven runs in the third inning and added nine runs in the eighth at Brent Gould Field.

“We put a pretty good game together today, we had a couple big innings and our pitchers did a nice job of staying away from the big inning,” said MCC Coach Jon Olsen. “I think Seward has some good hitters in their lineup and can put up some runs if you give them anything.”

Sophomore transfer Hunter Southey (Auckland, New Zealand) hit for the cycle with a pair of home runs and went five-for-five with six RBIs and freshman Owen Weales (Bowmanville, Ontario) drove in seven runs on three hits, including a home run.

“Obviously we had a couple guys with huge days, with Hunter hitting for the cycle and Owen with seven RBIs and we had a couple other guys that had good days at the plate too,” said Olsen.

The Saints took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, scoring a run on a two-out error. MCC responded to take the lead with two runs in the second on a walk, a double by freshman Kon Yoshimura (Nagasaki, Japan), and an RBI groundout by Weales. SCCC tied the game with another unearned run in the second to tie the game 2-2.

Freshman Nolan Jackson (Grimsby, Ontario) started the game on the mound and pitched the first two innings allowing two unearned runs on three hits, one walk and two strikeouts.

The Indians sent 12 batters to the plate in the third and scored seven runs highlighted by a bases-loaded triple by Southey to put MCC up 5-2, a two-run single by Weales made it 7-2 and a two-out RBI-single by sophomore Dalton Berg (Frederick, Colo.), put MCC up 9-2.

Weales singled in a run in the fifth to give MCC a 10-2 lead.

Sophomore Tait Anderson (Auckland, New Zealand) came on to pitch the third, fourth and fifth innings. He was credited with the win, pitching three innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, no walks and three strikeouts.

Southey cranked a solo home run in the sixth to put the Indians ahead 11-3 and freshman Jakoby Hamer (Edmonton, Alberta) jacked a solo homer in the seventh to make it a 12-3 lead.

Sophomore transfer Raul Romero (Brisbane, Queensland Australia), pitched 1.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits, one walk and three strikeouts. He left with MCC leading 12-5.

Southey started the scoring in the nine-run eighth inning with a one-out solo home run. Weales hit a three-run homer to put MCC up 16-5, Berg had an RBI-single, sophomore Ben Heathcock (Little Elm, Texas) drove in two runs with a double, Southey doubled in a run and sophomore Chase Williams (Brampton, Ontario) capped off the scoring with an RBI-double.

Sophomore Aviv Bobrov (Shekhanya, Israel) pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.

MCC had 15 hits in the game and 12 walks.

Southey went five-for-five with a single, a double a triple and two home runs, five runs scored and six RBIs. Weales had seven RBIs on three hits. Berg had a three-hit game with three RBIs.

MCC pitchers gave up seven hits, walked two and struck out 10.

Seward County falls to 11-16.

MCC improves to 16-5 and the Indians will be in Dodge City (11-12) Tuesday to take on the Conquistadores at 2 p.m.

“It was good to get back out and play, we’ll have another good test tomorrow and we will need to come out ready to go and then get ready to open region on the weekend,” said Olsen.

On Friday MCC returns home for the opening of the Region IX schedule as the Indians host Lamar Community College for a pair of doubleheaders starting Friday at 1 p.m.

Up-to-date information about MCC baseball including up-to-date schedule and changes, livestream links for home games, rosters, photos, statistics and more can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com