MAC Baseball drops two on the road

The Mission-Arlee-Charlo (MAC) baseball team continued to battle through its early-season schedule but came up short in a pair of matchups last week, falling to Big Sky 15-3 on Tuesday, April 8, in St. Ignatius and then to Missoula Sentinel 14-2 on Thursday, April 10.

With the two losses, MAC drops to 0-5 on the season as the young team continues to look for rhythm both on the mound and at the plate.

Big Sky 15, MAC 3

In their Tuesday game in St. Ignatius, the Bulldogs ran into a steady Big Sky offense that scored in each of five innings on the way to a 15-3 victory.

Big Sky put up runs early in the first and second, then added two more in the third before erupting for six in the fourth and five more in the fifth. MAC managed three runs of its own, including a two-run third that briefly closed the gap.

Hudson Hawkaluk recorded MAC’s only hit in the game, finishing 1-for-1.

On the mound, Vinny Shepard started for MAC, throwing three innings and giving up five hits and eight earned runs while striking out three. Jason Leishman entered in relief, tossing 1-1/3 innings and allowing three runs (two earned). Isadore Mitchell finished the game, surrendering four runs in two-thirds of an inning.

MAC’s defense committed three errors in the contest.

Sentinel 14, MAC 2

Two days later, MAC traveled to Missoula to face Sentinel and was overwhelmed by a 13-run second inning from the Spartans in a 14-2 loss.

After a scoreless first inning, Sentinel exploded in the second. MAC committed seven errors in the game, making it difficult to stop the momentum once it began.

Despite the result, MAC showed some offensive life, collecting five hits. Vinny Shepard, Chayton Bartell, Brody Smith, Mason Evans, and Kyle Hammond each recorded a base knock. Hammond doubled and drove in a run, while Evans added the other RBI.

Jake Helser got the start for MAC and struck out four batters in 1-2/3 innings of work but was charged with 13 runs – eight earned – on 10 hits as the defense struggled behind him.

MAC scored its runs in the fourth and fifth innings but couldn't avoid the run rule as the game ended after five.

BIG SKY 15, MAC 3

BigSky - 11265 - 15 - 11 - 3

MAC - 00210 - 3 - 1 - 3

MAC HITTING: Hudson Hawkaluk 1-1, Macklen McDonald 0-1, Jason Leishman 0-3, Milo Crooks 0-1, Vinny Shepard 0-2, Jake Helser 0-2, Chayton Bartell 0-1, Dylan Lovejoy 0-3, Isadore Mitchell 0-2, Kyle Hammond 0-2

MAC PITCHING: Vinny Shepard (3IP, 5H, 8R, 8ER, 1BB, 3SO), Jason Leishman (1 and 1/3IP, 2H, 3R, 2ER), I Mitchell (2/3IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 1BB, 1SO)

SENTINEL 14, MAC 2

MAC - 00011 - 2 - 5 - 7

Sent - 0(13)10x - 14 - 13 - 3

MAC HITTING: Jason Leishman 0-3, Jake Helser 0-1, Milo Crooks 0-3, Vinny Shepard 1-2, Chayton Bartell 1-1, Brody Smith 1-2, Isadore Mitchell 0-2, Mason Evans 1-1, Dylan Lovejoy 0-3, Kyle Hammond 1-3, Sage Asinaboine 0-2; RBI: Evans, Hammond; 2B: Hammond

MAC PITCHING: Jake Helser 1 and 2/3IP, 10H, 13R 8 ER, 4SO)