MCC out-hit Edgerton/SWC 12 to 8, but it wasn’t enough to overcome 11 fielding errors and other uncharacteristic mistakes in the five inning loss, 13-8.
Dylan Kluis started on the hill for the Rebels and the game would start ominously for MCC. A walk to the lead off batter, followed by a fielding error to the two hitter would put the Rebels behind the eightball right away. Kluis got the next batter to pop up in foul territory beyond first base, where Christian Tentinger made a nice catch. Both runners advanced as the man on second tagged up and a late throw allowed the runner on first to scamper into second base. The Edgerton/SWC clean up hitter would reach on a bunt to load the bases.
MCC was in need of a big play and their center fielder, Jaden Deacon delivered. A well struck ball was hit to center and Deacon timed his momentum up to make the catch with speed and threw a one hopper to Carter Benda who made a great catch and tag at home to end the threat and the inning.
The Rebels loaded the bases themselves in the bottom half of the inning, with a Derek Kluis single and two hit by pitches, as Abe Paulzine and Jaden Dea-con were each plucked. Unfortunately for the Rebels, a double play would end their threat, just like Edgerton/SWC’s in the top of the inning.
A fairly quick top half of the second inning would follow, as Kluis would only face 4 batters, striking out two. The Rebels stranded two in the bottom half of the second, as Aidan Dierks lined a single into right field and Carter Benda reachd base on a dropped third strike passed ball.
The top of the third is where things got very dicey for the Rebels defense. Allowing crooked numbers is not a normal thing, but in this inning the Rebels allowed 9 runs.
Starting the inning with a walk, the Dutchmen followed it up with a double, single, sacrifice bunt, single, strikeout, triple, walk, hit by pitch, single, reached on an error back to back, and finally a strikeout to end the inning. Mixed in with throwing errors, mental mistakes, and other fielding errors, the snowball effect took place and it was 9-0 following the frame.
The Rebels would again load the bases and pose a threat, but the dreaded double play ended the inning.
Edgerton/SWC added one more run in the top of the 4th, going up ten, but the Rebels were not done just yet. In the bottom half of the inning the Rebels cut the lead in half, scoring five runs. Krew Schneider led off the inning with a double, Carter Benda hit a triple, Derek Kluis followed with a double, followed by a Christian Tentinger double. The bats were alive! Abe Paulzine walked on the next at bat and Connor DeGreeff hit a hard ground ball to reach on an error and drive in two more Rebel runs.
Unfortunately, the troubles on defense would continue to haunt MCC as the next two batters in the top of the 5th got hit by pitches. Both runners would eventually score. After another fielding error, the Dutchmen made that hurt as well, and drove in a third run to go up 13-5.
MCC answered back in the bottom of the 5th with three more runs as Tanner Graphenteen started the inning with a single. Carter Benda hit another triple, followed by Derek Kluis , Christian Tentinger, and Abe Paulzine singles. Two batters later, a double play and line out ended the inning and game.
