MCC baseball team sweeps Hastings JV, goes 1-3 vs. Otero

HASTINGS -- The McCook Community College Indian baseball team swept a doubleheader from the Hastings College junior varsity last Thursday in Hastings.

McCook won the opener 4-0 and the second game 5-3.

In Game 1, sophomore right hander John Braun threw a one-hit complete game shutout for his first victory of the year (1-0).

Hastings' only hit came on an infield single in the bottom of the fifth. Braun then finished out the game and pitched seven innings. He struck out seven and walked five.

Offensively, the Indians scored all four of their runs in the top of the fifth on three hits and two walks and a Hastings error. McCook collected four hits, but was enough with Braun's performance on the mound.

In Game 2, the Indians were up 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh with two outs before giving up two unearned runs to make it interesting.

Jesse Zeller recorded his fourth save of the season in the 5-3 win. Sophomore right hander Josh McKinney started on the mound and got the win to improve to 2-1.

McKinney pitched 6 2/3 innings. He gave up three runs (one earned) on nine hits, struck out six and walked none.

Offensively, the Indians scored four runs in the first and one in the second to jump out to a 5-1 lead.

Trevor Jochimsen lead the Indians' attack, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Taylor Trotter was 2-for-4 with a run and RBI,. Matt Raabe and Tyler Vessey each added doubles.

MCC 1-3 against Otero -- MCC lost the first three games of its weekend series against Otero Junior College before picking up the win in game four.

The Indians took two close games into the late innings on Saturday before losing them late.

In Game 1, Andre O'Conner took a 1-0 game into the sixth inning but two unearned runs lead to a 5-1 defeat for the Indians. O'Conner took the loss on the mound throwing a complete game.

In Game 2, Austin Parker took a 2-2 game into the sixth inning before four unearned runs unraveled the Indians in an 11-3 defeat. Parker pitched 5 2/3 strong innings and allowed two earned runs before exiting.

On Sunday, errors again plagued the Indians in Game 1 as MCC allowed six unearned runs on three errors in route to a 13-3 loss. J.C. McKee took the loss on the mound.

In Game 2, after falling behind 4-0 after the top of the first inning, the Indians struck for six runs in the bottom of the first to take a 6-4 lead.

After a lead-off home run to start the top of the second inning, sophomore reliever Evan Bumgarner pitched five strong innings to pick up the victory and improve to 2-0.

In five innings, Bumgarner allowed one run on one hit while striking out five and walking two. After scoring six more runs in the bottom of the fifth to build a 12-6 lead, the Indians withstood a four-run top of the seventh to win 12-10.

Offensively for the weekend, MCC's Tyler Vessey went 5-for-14 with two doubles and three RBIs. Chris Kalk added four hits, including a home run and five RBIs. Lars Trizila also hit his second home run of the season.

"It was disappointing to lose 3-of-4 this weekend because I felt Saturday we pitched good enough deep into the games that we should have been able to get some things going offensively," said MCC coach Jon Olson. "Down 1-0 in the sixth and tied 2-2 in the sixth, we should have had better results.

"I was pleased with the pitching we got against Hastings it was a couple of guys that needed to give us good innings and we basically got two complete games."

McCook returns to action on Wednesday for a single nine-inning conference game against Northeastern at the Jaycees Sports Complex.