MCC baseball hosted the team's home opener Wednesday night, taking on the Eagles of Kirkwood Community College. The early season matchup was played in less than desirable conditions but the cold and wind did not stop the two teams from playing two seven-inning games. The Eagles entered the day 14-3 and riding high, winning seven of their last eight games. The Tigers are coming off a week where they played nine games, going 2-7 over that span. The Tigers were unable to keep up with the Eagles bats, falling 5-3 in game one and 10-1 in game two.
Kirkwood opened up the first inning of game one with two runs, the Tigers came back in the second and third scoring three runs off hits by Jeffery Roldan, Christopher Lopez, and a home run by Luke Woodward. The Tigers would end scoreless in the final four innings while the Eagles added a run in the fifth and two more in the seventh to take the first game 5-3.
Game two started with Jose Mieses leading off with a solid hit to left field before Marving Serrano blasted a triple to deep right field bringing Mieses home. The excitement ended for the Tigers after the first inning when the bats quieted down, recording just three hits the rest of the game. MCC pitchers struggled against the top of the Eagles lineup, giving up eleven hits and two doubles. The Eagle's Ellison Hanna (2-4) and Kal Youngquist (2-3, 1HR) each recorded 3 RBIs and Chili Moseley (2-4) brought in two runs to finish 10-1.
The Tigers will get a short break, with six days off before their next game, when they are home at Shawn Williams Field taking on Ellsworth Community College. The Panthers are currently 3-18 this season, with a doubleheader with Iowa Lakes Community College scheduled before they take on the Tigers. The Iowa Valley matchup is set for a 2:00 PM start on Tuesday, March 27.
