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Pioneers Drop 2 on Opening Day to Northeastern Junior College

Pioneers Drop 2 on Opening Day to Northeastern Junior College
Posted: Feb 20, 2022

Game 1 - Pioneers 1... NJC Plainsmen 7

The season opener for the 2022 MCC Pioneers did not go as planned on Saturday afternoon in Sterling, CO. The Pioneer bats were completely shut down and the Plainsmen used a 4 run 3rd inning for a 7-1 victory. The Pioneers could only muster up 2 hits and scored their only run of the game in the 6th inning on a home run by CF Jake Lacey (Gillette, WY). The only other hit came from Freshman 1B Kaleb Breeze (West Valley City, UT) in the 2nd inning. 

The Pioneers committed 5 errors in the game and Plainsmen pitcher Mark Thurman struck out 10 MCC batters in a complete game win. Thurman walked only 1 batter in the game. 

Cy Miller (Helena, MT) took to the mound for the Pioneers and gave up 5 runs on 4 hits in 3.2 innings. Miller walked 3 Plainsmen and struck out 3. He was relieved by Bridger Erickson (St. Anthony, ID) and Erickson went 2.1 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits while walking 1 and striking out 2. 

 

Game 2 - Pioneers 5... NJC Plainsmen 8

The bats for the MCC Pioneers woke up a little bit in game 2 but it wasnt enough as the Plainsmen scored 3 runs in the 1st inning and added 2 more in the 3rd to take an early 5-2 lead and then picked up insurance runs in the 5th and 6th innings to build an 8-2 lead. The Pioneers hit for 3 runs in the top of the 7th but it wasn't enough to pick up a victory. 

The Pioneers struck in the top of the 1st when RF Ian Krump (Rapid City, SD) doubled in Jake Lacey who had walked. In the top of the 3rd, Lacey singled and was followed by a single by 3B Tim Holyk (Nanaimo, BC). Lacey then stole 3rd and was driven in on a sacrifice fly by Krump. 

Trailing 8-2 in the 7th, the Pioneers tried to rally as SS Jaeden Jordahl (Billings, MT) doubled and was driven in on a double by Lacey. Holyk then homered to center field to close the gap to 8-5 with 2 outs. The Plainsmen closed out the game with a strikeout of Krump. 

Bo Hays (Bozeman, MT) started on the mound for the Pioneers and went 2.2 innings. Hays allowed 5 runs on 4 hits. He walked 3 batters and struck out 2. He was replaced by Jeremy Gee (Bringham City, UT) who went 3.1 innings giving up 4 hits and 3 runs. He walked 2 batters and didn't have a stikeout. 

The 2 teams will play a doubleheader again on Sunday starting at 12:00 PM MST.