Game 1 - Pioneers 11... Lake Region State 2 (7 Innings)

Mayson Shively pitched a complete game 7 innings, striking out 10 Royal batters, and allowed only 4 hits and one earned run as the Pioneers defeated Lake Region State 11-2 in 7 innings to take a 1-0 lead in MonDak Conference playoff. 

Shively gave up 2 runs and 2 hits in the 1st inning and then allowed only 2 hits the rest of the way in a dominating pitching performance. Brandon Hegedus (C - Littleton, CO) ended the game in the 7th inning with a towering 3-run home run that gave the Pioneers the early victory due to 8-run rule after 7 innings. 

The Pioneers scored a run in the bottom of the 1st inning by scoring on a wild pitch with a runner on 3rd base. MCC then took the lead for good in the bottom of the 2nd inning by scoring 4 runs. Cooper Morlang (2B - Rapid City, SD) led the inning off with a single, his 1st of 3 hits in the game with a 3-4 effort at the plate. Morlang stole 2nd and Brady Bickett (CF - Rapid City, SD) walked. Both stole the next base and Morlang scored on a Hegedus groundout. Luke Thorne (SS - Missoula, MT) singled to drive in Bickett and Lance Bratlien (LF - Helena, MT) walked. Coleman Parry (1B - American Fork, UT) singled to drive in Thorne. Luke Wilson (RF - Calgary, Alberta) followed that with a RBI single that scored Bratlien. 

The Pioneers scored 2 more in the 3rd inning to stretch the lead to 7-2. Morlang led off with a single again and stole 2nd. Bickett followed that with a RBI double and Bickett scored on a groundout. 

MCC got a run in the bottom of the 6th on a Wilson RBI single. The Pioneers put the game away with the Hegedus home run in the bottom of the 7th.

Morlang had 3 hits while Parry and Wilson each had 2 hits

Inside the Box Score

• The Pioneers had 11 hits (HR, 2B) and the Royals had 4 hits (2B).
• MCC had the games only error. 
• Pioneer batters struck out 4 times and walked 6 times. 
• Royal batters struck out 10 times and were hit by pitch 2x.
• MCC had 7 stolen bases and LRSC had 2.

Game 2 - Pioneers 6... Lake Region State 2

Davis Mosier (Billings, MT) had the hot hand on the mound in this game pitching 7 innings and giving up only 3 hits and 0 earned runs. Mosier walked 2 Royals and struck out 7. 

Four different Pioneers had 2 hits in the game and MCC chipped away at the scoreboard by scoring a run in the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th inning and then putting the game away with 3 runs in the 7th inning. 

MCC got on the board in the 2nd inning after back to back singles from Ethan Forrest (DH - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) and Cooper Morlang resulted in Forrest scoring on a double steal. In the 3rd inning, Luke Thorne walked, stole 2nd, and scored on a RBI single from Coleman Parry. 

The Pioneer run in the 5th inning came on a home run from the MonDak Conference leader Lance Bratlien. 

The Royals got their 1st run of the game in the 7th inning coming off a Pioneer error to cut the lead to 3-1. 

MCC would follow that with 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th. The Pioneers loaded the bases with one out and Luke Wilson pulled through with a 2 RBI single and then with 2 outs Morlang hit a RBI single to give the Pioneers a 6-1 lead. 

LRSC would pick up a run in the 8th inning but that is as close as they would get. 

Brady Bickett pitched the 8th inning (R, 2 H, SO) and Lance Bratlien pitched the 9th inning in perfect fashion, striking out 1. 

Inside the Box Score

• The Pioneers had 10 hits (HR, 2B) and the Royals had 5 hits. 
• MCC had 2 errors and LRSC had one. 
• Pioneer batters struck out 11 times and walked 3 times. 
• Royal batters struck out 9 times, walked twice, and were hit by pitch twice. 
• MCC had 4 stolen bases.

 The Pioneers are 37-15 on the season and will play in the Region XIII Playoffs next weekend in Williston. The days and times of the games will be announced Sunday afternoon.