GOCC baseball opens season in Tennessee

Glen Oaks Community College dropped both games of a doubleheader to Motlow State Community College on Tuesday in Tullahoma, Tennessee, falling 18-3 in the opener before an offensive-heavy 14-8 loss in the nightcap.

Game 1

Motlow State used a pair of big innings to pull away from Glen Oaks in the opening game for an 18-3 victory.

The Vikings struck first in the top of the first when Oliver Nisen singled to bring home a run.

The Bucks responded immediately, taking a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning on a leadoff home run followed by an RBI single.

Glen Oaks briefly regained the lead in the second inning when Caleb Mallory homered to right field, driving in two runs to give GOCC a 3-2 advantage.

Motlow State answered in the bottom of the second with a grand slam to move back in front, 6-3, then broke the game open in the third. The Bucks sent 14 batters to the plate in the inning, scoring 10 runs on six hits, highlighted by a three-run homer and another grand slam.

Collin Yoder took the loss for Glen Oaks, going one and two-thirds innings and allowing three runs, two earned. 

Mallory led the Vikings offensively with two RBIs. Nisen, Mallory, Grant Holroyd, and Erick Marin each recorded a hit. Glen Oaks drew seven walks, with Marin and Jace Gray collecting two apiece.

Motlow State finished with 14 hits and played error-free defense. Three Bucks hitters recorded three hits each, while two drove in five runs apiece.

Game 2

The nightcap featured steady offense from both sides, but Motlow State completed the sweep with a 14-8 win.

Glen Oaks opened the scoring in the first inning when Erick Marin laid down a sacrifice bunt to plate a run.

The Bucks evened the score in the bottom of the second before the Vikings regained control in the third. Braeden Becker doubled down the left field line, Caleb Mallory followed with a sacrifice fly, and Marin added an RBI single to give GOCC a 4-1 lead.

Motlow State answered with its biggest frame of the game in the bottom of the third, scoring eight runs on four hits to take a 9-4 lead. The inning was punctuated by a three-run home run to center field.

MSCC added two more runs in the fourth on a home run to center, extending its advantage.

Jacob Jackson took the loss for Glen Oaks after allowing eight runs on five hits in two and two-thirds innings. Sheffield started the game for the Bucks, allowing one unearned run on no hits over two innings.

Marin drove in four runs to lead the Vikings, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate.

Glen Oaks showed patience offensively, drawing 11 walks. Becker, Nisen, Mallory, and Logan O'Malley each walked twice, while Becker stole two bases. The Vikings finished with four stolen bases.

Motlow State totaled 13 hits in the finale.