Slow starts kill MCC in baseball losses to Otero

The McCook Community College baseball team waited a bit too long to find its offense in a pair of losses to Otero (Colo.) Junior College Sunday afternoon.

The Indians lost a 6-4 decision in the opener, and suffered a 4-1 setback in the nightcap in the pair of seven-inning contests March 7 at the Jaycees Sports Complex.

MCC rallied in their last at-bats in both games.

In the opening game, McCook surrendered three runs in the top of the seventh to fall behind 6-1. The Indians started their final rally with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. With a runner on third, freshman Kody Crescentini lined a single to left field for a run batted in to cut the deficit to 6-2.Sophomore Andrew Behan followed with a single over the Otero shortstop, as Crescentini raced to third and Behan advanced to second on the throw from the outfield.

Sophomore Tyler Vessey walked to load the bases, then freshman shortstop Eric Montes hit a hard shot right at the Otero third baseman. The ball got past the defender for a single and two RBI, as the Indians had runners on first and third trailing 6-4.

The La Junta, Colo. Rattlers brought in relief pitcher Jason Baylor, a hard-throwing right-hander. MCC freshman Tommy Barnes drew a walk to load the bases, then Baylor struck out David DeCarlo to end the game.

In the second game, McCook fell behind 4-0 before staging another last-gasp rally.

In the bottom of the seventh, Crescentini singled to load the bases, then Otero brought Baylor back to the mound. MCC freshman Kyle Gamble lined a drive to the outfield, and the Otero right-fielder dove but missed the fly ball, as McCook scored a run and still had bases loaded with one out.

Baylor caught Behan looking on a called third strike that apparently painted the outside corner for McCook's second out. Vessey then hit a hard shot down the third-base line, and the Otero fielder caught the ball and stepped on third base to again cut short MCC's rally hopes.

Waited too long to get started

MCC head coach Jon Olsen said his team has to get their offense started before the final innings.

"We just waited too long offensively, Olsen said. "You can't expect to overcome a five- and a four-run lead in the last inning of a game each time out. We just didn't do enough early in the game.

"I thought both (Otero starting) pitchers did a pretty good job. We just took too long to get to them. We weren't quite clean enough (defensively) to keep the run total down. A couple walks, a couple misplays that first game kind of let some runs in for them. Like I said, too big a hole at the end of the game.

"We had the winning run at first, the tying run at second in the first game, and then loaded the bases and brought the winning run to the plate in the second game. In situations like that if you're just looking at the last inning, that's good to do. But we've got to be better throughout the game."

Jake Anderson took the pitching loss for MCC in the opener, with relief help from Jeff Patten. Mike Hebert was the losing pitcher for McCook in the second game.

Coach's praise

Coach Olsen praised Kody Crescentini, a freshman outfielder from Erie, Colo., for a good performance in both games. Olsen also thought his starting pitchers did a pretty good job of keeping the Indians in both games.

"We just didn't do enough offensively," he said. "Like I said, one or two miscues and a couple bad pitches -- we made one bad pitch in the first game that cost us a couple runs. We walked a couple guys in the second game, the guys that scored. We've just got to get better. We've got to keep playing. We've got to get out and play. If we do that and we continue to keep a good attitude about things, we'll get better."

Tuesday home game, weather permitting

The Indians are winless in seven starts this season. MCC has also had seven games postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions.

McCook has home games scheduled Tuesday, March 9, against the Hastings College junior varsity. The first pitch of the scheduled double-header is set for 1 p.m. at the Jaycees Sports Complex on West M St. in McCook, adjacent to the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. Tuesday's weather may be a factor, as the weather.com forecast for McCook is calling for showers and a high temperature of 44 degrees.

The Indians also have a single game scheduled at Colby, Kan., Community College Wednesday, March 10, starting at 2 p.m.