Pioneers 14... Dakota County Tech 2 (5 Innings)

The MCC Pioneers advanced to Saturday's Region XIII Championship game against Dawson Community College with a 14-2 win over Dakota County Tech this morning. 

The Pioneers banged out 17 hits in just 4 innings scoring 6 runs in the 3rd and 6 more in the 4th inning to put the game away. 

MCC scored a run in the 1st inning after a Sierra John double led off the game and Cassidy Bagnell hit a bunt single that put runners on the corners and John scored on a double steal with Bagnell. 

The Pioneers scored again in the 2nd inning after 3B Taylor Feller tripled and scored on a DP Megan Johnson ground out. 

DCTC tied the game with a home run in the top of the 3rd before the Pioneers broke the game open in the bottom of the 3rd. 

With one out in the 3rd, CF Skylar Higgs doubled and scored on a 1B Hazel Eaton single. Feller reached on an error, Eaton scored on a passed ball, and Megan Johnson singled. With 2 outs, 3B Morgan Lampshire reached base on an error that scored Feller and Megan Johnson. John reached on an error and runners were on the corners. Bagnell smacked an RBI single and LF Liz Ybarra followed that with an RBI single and the Pioneers led 8-2. 

MCC put the game away in the 4th inning with 6 more runs. Hazel Eaton led the inning off with a solo home run. Feller doubled and Megan Johnson reached base on an error. Those runners advanced on a passed ball before 2B Shannon Nelson doubled to drive in 2 runs. Lampshire doubled in Nelson and the Pioneers built a 12-2 lead. John walked, Lampshire stole 3rd and then scored when John stole 2nd base. Ybarra singled to put runners on the corners and Higgs hit an RBI single that scored John. 

Peyton Whitehead pitched complete game 5 innings (2 R, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 SO). 

Inside the Box Score

• The Pioneers had 6 stolen bases and DCTC had 0.
• MCC batters struck out only twice. 
• Hazel Eaton had 3 hits and 2 RBI. John, Bagnell, Ybarra, Higgs, and Feller each had 2 hits. Megan Johnson, Nelson, Davis, and Lampshire had one hit each. 

Pioneers 4... Dawson 6 (Region XIII Championship)

The MCC Pioneers record setting season came to a close Saturday in Glendive with a 6-4 loss to Dawson in the Region XIII Championship. Dawson used the home run ball to hold off the Pioneers and win the region title. 

MCC scored 1st in the top of the 2nd inning when Hazel Eaton signled with one out and Taylor Feller doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Megan Johnson walked with 2 outs to load the bases and Shannon Nelson reached on an error that scored Eaton. Dawson tied the game immediately with a solo home run leading off the bottom of the 2nd. 

The Pioneers took the lead in the top of the 4th with a solo home run from Taylor Feller but once again Dawson tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a lead off home run. With 2 outs and 2 runners on base in the bottom of the 5th inning, Dawson got a 3-run home run for a 5-2 lead. 

MCC scored 2 in the top of the 6th inning with back to back home runs from Hazel Eaton and Taylor Feller with 2 outs to cut the lead to 5-4. Dawson added a run in the bottom of the 6th inning. MCC got the tying run to the plate in the top of the 7th inning but could not keep the game going. 

Madi Henry pitched a complete game 7 innings (6 R, 7 H, 3 BB, 5 SO).

Inside the Box Score

• Dawson outhit the Pioneers 7-6. 
• Each team hit 3 home runs. 
• Dawson had 3 stolen bases and the Pioneers none. 
• DCC pitcher Barrett struck out 10 Pioneers. 
• Feller had 3 hits and Eaton had 2. Sierra John had the only other hit for MCC. 
• The only error of the game was committed by the Bucs. 

MCC ends the season with a school record 35 wins and had only 8 losses.