The Pirates of North Central Missouri College defeated Mineral Area Community College 5-3 on Monday afternoon, opening a Region XVI doubleheader with a strong start. The Pirates scored on a single by Connor Quick in the first inning, a double by Dennis Pogue in the second inning, and a single by Brendley Martina in the second inning.
Blake Collister earned the win, going six and a third innings, giving up three runs, eight hits, and striking out four. Lucas Hampton recorded the last two outs to earn the save. The Pirates collected 11 hits, with Quick, Pogue, and Martina each collecting multiple hits (Quick was 3-for-3 with 2 RBI’s).
The nightcap, with winds howling out to left field throughout the game, brought higher scoring, and a disappointing result for the Pirates, losers by a score of 11-7. NCMC collected nine hits and Mineral Area Community College had 13 in the high-scoring affair. After Mineral Area took a 2-0 lead on a 1st inning homer, the Pirates fought back, eventually tying the contest at 4-4 in the bottom of the 5th inning, on an RBI single from Quick, following a triple by Enrique Madera, only to see MACC take the lead back, for good, with four runs in the visitors sixth inning.
Wade Phillips took the loss for the Pirates, tossing five innings, with five runs allowed, six hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. Quinsly Balentien hit an 8th inning homer for NCMC, with Deric Killday smacking an eighth-inning solo shot.
The two teams will play two more games against one another this (Tuesday) afternoon at 1 o’clock at Burleigh Grimes Field in Trenton.
