Game 1 - Pioneers 13... DCB Lumberjacks 4
The MCC Pioneers didn't get many hits on Sunday afternoon in game 1 but the really didn't need to. The Dakota College at Bottineau Lumberjacks helped the Pioneers out by committing 9 errors and Lumberjack pitchers walked 8 Pioneers and hit 6 others to allow 14 total free bases. CF Kruz Slevira (Billings, MT) was 2-2 (2B, RBI, 2 R) and 1B Spencer Searcey (Denver, CO) was 2-4 (3B, RBI, 3 R) and were the only Pioneers with multiple hits.
2B Jessen West (Billings, MT) accounted for 3 RBI and DH Tommy O'Connell (Kalispell, MT) had 2. The Pioneers scored 7 runs in the first inning after 3 walks, 2 hit by pitch, 5 Lumberjack errors, and one wild pitch. MCC was never challenged in the game after that point.
The Pioneers picked up a run in the 2nd and 3rd innings each, and then scored 2 more in the 4th and 5th.
Patrick Dietz (Manhattan, MT) started the game on the mound for MCC. He pitched 4 complete innings (8 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 3 SO) and Caeden Riley (Torrington, WY) finished the final 3 innings in fine fashion (2 BB, 3 SO). Riley did not allow a hit in his 3 innings.
Game 2 - Pioneers 13... DCB Lumberjacks 2 (5 Innings)
3B Jessen West continued his hot bat with a 4-4 (2 2B, 3 R, RBI) effort and Tommy O'Connell was 2-3 (2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB) as the Pioneers broke away from a 2-2 tie with 11 runs in the top of the 5th inning.
With the game tied at 2-2, Jessen West singled to start the inning. 1B Kam Kostial (Rexburg, ID) walked and O'Connell doubled to left field scoring West. C Mike Ohlin (Billings, MT) walked to load up the bases. LF Grant Gabbert (Thorton, CO) walked to bring in another run. O'Connell scored on a wild pitch and Slevira singled in 2 more runs and a 7-2 Pioneer lead. SS Jaeden Jordahl (Billings, MT) followed that up with a RBI single and MCC lead 8-2. 2B Dalton Martin (Gillette, WY) singled to put runners on the corners. With one out, Jordahl scored on a wild pitch and Martin moved up to 3rd base. West hit a RBI double for the Pioneers 8th run of the inning. Kostial singled to drive in West and O'Connell singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Each base runner stole the next base and Ohlin grounded out allowing Kostial to score. Gabbert followed that up with another single and O'Connell scored for a 13-2 lead.
Bo Hays pitched game 2 for MCC and went 4 innings (5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 SO) and Cam Murphy (Torrington, WY) shut the door in the 5th inning (H, BB, SO).
MCC is now 11-1 in MonDak Conference play and 25-8 overall. They have a 2-game lead for the conference championship with one more run through conference play to go.