Beatrice, Neb. – Southeast Community College baseball was looking for a strong finish to their season and found it at home against McCook Community College Thursday and Friday. The Bobcats won the final three games of the series to end the season on a high note and post a record of 27-23 and 18-10 in conference.

McCook 7 – Southeast 4

SCC started the scoring early with a two-run home run from Crew Moeller in the second inning.  A home run from McCook in the top of the fourth made it 2-1, but solo home runs from Jordon Monroe and Gabe Dalton pushed the Bobcats further into the lead.

The Bobcats held a 4-1 lead after the fourth inning, but the Indians made a comeback with four home runs of their own to outscore SCC 6-0 in the final three innings of a home run derby to capture the first game.

The Bobcats recorded nine hits against McCook's 10, and two errors were committed by SCC.

Jordan Lemon started on the mound and pitched four and one-third innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits with seven strikeouts. Will Flege came in for relief and recorded a loss after tossing two and two-thirds innings with six hits and three strikeouts.

Southeast 7 – McCook 6

Dalton collected a walk to start Game 2, and a double from Kadyn Martinez followed by a single from Jacob Perrin put the Bobcats in the lead after one inning.

The home run trend continued for McCook with a home run in three consecutive innings for the visitors, and a group of singles put the Indians ahead 4-2 in the sixth inning.

SCC got the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning and Teigan Munce cleared the bags with his twelfth home run of the season. McCook brought in a new pitcher, and Monroe welcomed him to the mound with a solo home run to make it 7-4.

The Indians got the bats going again in the ninth and scored two runs, but the tying run was stranded on second by a clutch strikeout from Cael Clancy.

Brady Hunt and Jacob Perrin each recorded an RBI beside Munce and Monroe's home runs. The Bobcats were out-hit 10-8.

Van Haneberg took the mound first for SCC and pitched six innings, allowing seven hits and four earned runs with three strikeouts. Isaiah O'Brien came in for relief for two and two-thirds innings and allowed two earned runs with a strikeout. Clancy recorded a save with the final strikeout of the game.

Southeast 9 – McCook 8

McCook took control of Game 3 early with two runs in each of the first two innings and another in the fourth to make it 5-0.

Munce hit a two-run home run to cut the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Both teams brought in one run in the fifth inning, and SCC broke it open in the sixth inning with five runs.

A single from Munce opened the sixth inning for SCC, and Monroe followed with his second home run of the series to bring the Bobcats within two. The Indians changed pitchers, then Dalton hit a single, Martinez found base off an error, and Brady Hunt sent them both home with a three-run homer to give the Bobcats their first lead of the game 8-7.

A triple and a single tied the game in the top of the seventh for McCook.

Munce started the ninth inning with a single and stole second base for the Bobcats. Monroe sacrificed on a bunt to get Monroe to third, and the Indians pitcher intentionally walked Moeller and Dalton to load the bases. Martinez hit a line drive single to win the game for the Bobcats 9-8.

McCook out-hit SCC for the third straight game 11-10, and the Bobcats only gave up one error to the Indians' 2.
Reed McConnell toed rubber first for SCC and pitched two innings. He allowed four earned runs on four hits before Brandon Berge came in to relieve. In two innings he threw four strikeouts, walked three batters and allowed no earned runs on two hits. Brandon Ailslieger took the mound next and threw two strikeouts with one earned run through the fifth and sixth innings. Clancy was the closer and recorded a win of his own with two strikeouts, two hits and one earned run in the final inning.

Southeast 16 – McCook 13

In the final game of the weekend, both teams let loose. An RBI single from Perrin put the Bobcats on the board in the first inning, and McCook responded with five runs in each of the second and third innings.

Munce once again found the other side of the fence for a three-run home run to make it a 10-4 game in the bottom of the third, and a solo home run in the fourth made it 10-5.

The Indians got back in the scoring column with a run in the fifth inning, but SCC scored four runs from a two-RBI double and a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to make it 11-9.

In the sixth, the Bobcats kept the bats hot and scored five more runs to take the lead for good 14-13, before another home run and an RBI-double made it 16-13.

It was a strong hitting finale for SCC, with six home runs in the final game alone and 14 over the whole weekend. Jack Hogan, Munce, Monroe, and Jake Smolinski each had a home run, and Dalton recorded two in the series-clinching win. Hogan led the team with five RBI, followed by Munce with three and Dalton, Burke Jasa and Monroe with two apiece. The Bobcats out-hit McCook 17-14.

Moeller started at pitcher for SCC and threw four strikeouts while allowing 10 earned runs in two and two-thirds innings. Kaden Bertch relieved for two and one-third innings, and Clancy was credited with the win after throwing one strikeout and allowing two earned runs in the sixth inning. Chase Blanchard pitched the seventh inning with a strikeout, and Flege got the save by throwing four strikeouts in the final two innings.

The Bobcats are back in action this week at the Region 9 Tournament in Pueblo, Colorado. Game times are TBA.