NMMI Sports Press

The Bronco baseball team started off their four-game Western Junior College Athletic Conference series versus NMJC with a doubleheader on Friday in Hobbs, NM, losing both games by a score of 8-4 and 9-6.

We had some mistakes on stuff we practice a lot and that can't happen," said Head coach Chris Cook. "Both games were not very clean offensively, defensively or on the mound."

NMMI started off the scoring in the top of the first inning when Estevan De La O doubled on a line drive to center field, scoring Miguel Soto giving the Broncos a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the third, Palo Rodriguez led off the inning with a single to center.

With Bronco runners on first, second and third, Luiz Rivera Melendez singled on a ball hit to third base, scoring Rodriguez. The NMJC added a run in the bottom of the inning giving NMMI a 2-1 lead at the end of the third.

Unfortunately for the Institute, the Thunderbirds scored a combined seven runs in the fourth, fifth and six innings giving NMJC Game One of the four-game series.

Eric Estrada took the loss for Broncos. He allowed seven hits and five runs over five innings, striking out six and walking one.

 Bobby Galindo led the Institute with two hits in Game One.

 The NMJC got off to a fast start it the first two innings of Game 2 scoring two runs in the top of the first and adding one in the bottom of the second to give the Thunderbirds a 3-0 lead heading into the third.

 Despite getting two quick outs, NMMI exploded for five runs in the top of the third.

Angel Colon Aviles started the two-out rally with a single on a line drive to right field.

Next at the plate was Miguel Soto. Soto singled to right field and advanced Colon to second.

With the bases loaded with Broncos, Rivera Melendez was hit by a pitch and Colon scored, giving the T-Birds a 3-1 led with the bases still loaded.

Adam Abetya then doubled on a hard ground ball to left center, scoring Rivera Melendez, Soto and Galindo giving NMMI a 5-3 advantage heading into the bottom half of the inning. NMJC responded with one run in the bottom of the third and fourth to tie the game at 5-5.

 In the bottom of the fifth, NMJC had the bases loaded and Avery Tuck doubled to right center giving the T-Birds 7-5 lead.

 The NMJC added two runs coming in the bottom of the seventh and eighth.

 Parker Bateman started the game for Broncos. He allowed five hits and five runs over three and third innings, striking out two.

 David Chavez took the loss for the Institute. He lasted two and third innings, allowing two hits and two runs while striking out two.

 "We know we are facing a good team and you can't make the kind of mistakes we did today," said Cook. "Good news is we have two games tomorrow at home and hopefully we can flip it around and have a better outcome."

 Both teams will square off again tomorrow at the NMMI Ballpark beginning at 12 P.M. with another pair of games to complete a four-game series.