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Pioneers Survive to Play Another Day

Pioneers Survive to Play Another Day
Posted: May 10, 2025

Game 1 - Pioneers 0... Dakota County Tech 8

Dakota County Tech pitcher LJ Manning shut down the Miles Community College offense in game 1 of the Region XIII Playoffs on Friday in Williston, ND. The lefty that is committed to UNLV struck out 11 Pioneers and gave up only 2 singles over 8 innings as the Blue Knights outdistanced the Pioneers 8-0.

Cooper Morlang (2B - Rapid City, SD) and Ethan Forrest (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) were the only Pioneers to come up with a hit. Morlang singled in the 2nd inning and Forrest in the 7th and MCC could come up with no other offense on the day. 

The Blue Knights scored 4 runs in the 2nd inning, another in the 3rd, then added 2 in the 8th, and 1 in the 9th to move to the undefeated semifinal against Bismarck State. 

Mayson Shively (Three Forks, MT) got the start for the Pioneers and pitched 2 innings (4 R, 6 H, 2 SO) before handing the ball to Max Holden (Kalispell, MT) for the next 5.1 innings (3 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 SO). Collin Fortier (American Fork, UT) pitched the final 1.2 innings (R, H, BB, SO).

 Inside the Box Score

  • The Pioneers had 2 hits and the Blue Knights had 12 (HR, 3B, 2B).
  • DCTC had 7 stolen bases and the Pioneers had 1.
  • Neither team committed an error. 
  • Pioneer batters struck out 11 times and walked just once. 
  • Blue Knight batters struck out 10 times, walked 3 times, and were hit by pitch once. 

 

Game 2 - Pioneers 4... Williston State 3

The MCC Pioneers stayed alive in the Region XIII Playoffs with a hard fought 4-3 win over the MonDak Conference regular season champion Williston State on Friday afternoon. 

Tanner Goertz (DH - Highlands Ranch, CO) came up with the clutch hit for MCC in the 7th inning on a 2-out, 2 RBI single that broke a 2-2 tie and give the Pioneers the winning runs. 

MCC scored first in the top of the 2nd inning on a perfectly executed double steal as Brady Bickett (CF - Rapid City, SD) stole 2nd and Tanner Goertz stole home. MCC took a 2-0 lead in the top of the 4th when Brandon Hegedus (C - Littleton, CO) drove in a run after singles from Goertz and Bickett. 

Williston State tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the 6th inning before Goertz's big hit in the 7th. The Tetons had the tying run on 1st base in the 9th inning but reliever Lance Bratlien (Helena, MT) was able to get the save. 

Coleman Parry (1B - American Fork, UT) and Goertz each collected 3 hits for the Pioneers. 

Davis Mosier (Billings, MT) got the start and pitched 5 innings (R, 4 H, 2 BB, SO) before giving the ball to Brady Bickett. Bickett pitched 2.2 innings (R, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 SO) and Bratlien closed out the final 1.1 innings (R, H, BB, SO).

Inside the Box Score

  • The Pioneers had 11 hits (2B) and the Tetons had 8 hits (2 2B).
  • MCC had 2 errors and WSC had 1.
  • The Pioneers had 2 stolen bases (Bickett 2).
  • Pioneer batters struck out 12 times and walked 6 times. 
  • Teton batters struck out 6 times, walked 5 times, and were hit by pitch once. 

The Pioneers will face Bismarck State at 12:00 PM MST Saturday with the winner moving on to play Dakota County Tech in the Region XIII Championship. That team would have to defeat Dakota County twice to win the title.