(Editor's note: MCC Athletics release)
GLENDIVE - Miles Community College trimmed an 11-0 deficit to two before falling 14-11 to Williston State Sunday in the Region XIII Tournament baseball tournament.
The Pioneers cut the lead to 11-9 after 6 innings but the Tetons quickly answered with 3 runs in the 7th to put it away and end MCC's season.
Trailing 11-0 and the season on the line in the bottom of the 5th, CF Jake Lacey (Gillette, WY) was hit by a pitch and 1B Tim Holyk (Nanaimo, BC) singled to put runners on 1st and 3rd. 2B Ryota Kusumoto (Qairns, Aus) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. DH Tommy O'Connell (Kalispell, MT) walked to make the score 11-1. RF Ian Krump singled up the middle to score Holyk and then C Takumi Kimoto (Brisbane, Aus) followed suit to make the score 11-3. SS Jaeden Jordahl (Billings, MT) walked and another run scored to make the score 11-4 after 5 innings.
The 6th inning was a strong one for MCC as Holyk singled to start the inning and O'Connell drew a walk. Clay Prell (Miles City, MT) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Takumi Kimoto brought some life to the stadium with a grand slam home run to make the score 11-8. LF Grant Gabbert (Thorton, CO) and Jordahl both singled before Gabbert scored on a wild pitch to make the score 11-9.
Trailing 14-9 in the 7th, Holyk singled and Kusumoto doubled to put runnerson 2nd and 3rd. Clay Prell then drove in a run on a hard ground ball to the 1st baseman for a fielder's choice out to make the score 14-10. The Pioneers tallied another in the 9th after a Kusumoto walk and O'Connell single to put runners on the corners. Prell hit a sacrifice fly to right to drive in Kusumoto. Ian Krump then walked to bring the tying run to the plate but the Pioneers rally ended.
Cy Miller (Helena, MT) got the start and pitched 2 innings (9 R, 4 H, 5 BB, 4 SO) before giving way to Jack Corriveau (Kalispell, MT) who also pitched 2 innings (2 R, H, 3 BB, SO). Jay Neugebauer (Rapid City, SD) finished the final 5 innings (3 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 7 SO).
The Pioneer record ended up at 34-21 for the season.
