NMMI Sports Press
The Bronco baseball team started off their home four-game WJCAC series versus Frank Phillips College with a split on Saturday, dropping Game 1, 5-2, then winning an extended Game 2, 6-5, on a walk off single in the bottom of the eleventh.
FPC started off the first game by scoring a single run off a single hit in the top of the first. NMMI responded with an Angel Colon single and a Miguel Soto double, which scored Colon from first. Adam Abeyta then doubled on a line drive to left center field and Soto coming home to score. NMMI led 2-1 in the bottom of the first.
Over the next three innings the Plainsmen and Broncos had runners on base, but were unable to get the key hit needed to bring the runners home.
That slim 2-1 NMMI led disappeared when the Plainsmen tallied several hits in the top of the fifth, plating three runs, giving the Plainsmen a 3-2 lead.
The Broncos were unable to respond in the bottom half, and FPC added an insurance run in the top of the seventh.
Eric Estrada took the loss for Broncos. He surrendered four runs on seven hits over five innings, striking out two.
In Game 2, Frank Phillips again started off the scoring thanks to a leadoff hit by pitch and a throwing error, resulting in one Plainsmen run.
They added two more runs in the top of the second to extend their lead 3-0, before the Broncos were able to counter. A two run home run to right field by Colon in the bottom of the third did just that, making it 3-2 heading into the top of the fourth.
NMMI tied things up after a leadoff home run by Adrian Arpero in the bottom of the fifth and had a chance to go ahead with runners on first and second and only one out, but were unable to get the crucial hit needed to take the lead.
In the top of the sixth, a leadoff walk followed by a triple to right center field, again gave FPC a one-run lead.
Neither team would plate another run until the Broncs knotted it again in the bottom of the ninth, set up by a walk and a then successful steal by pinch runner Gabriel Torres. Miko Soto then doubled on a hard hit ball to center scoring Torres from second and taking the game into extra innings.
Unfortunately for the Broncos, FPC was able to add a run in the top of the 10th inning making the score 5-4.
NMMI had one out in the bottom part of the stanza before Luis Rivera tripled on a line drive to center field and Justin Lawrence tied the game 5-5 with a single to shallow left center field. Nicholas Palomino was replaced to run for Lawrence and appear to successfully steal second base, putting the winning run in scoring position, but a batter interference call and strikeout ended the inning.
A scoreless top of the 11th gave NMMI some momentum heading into hit.
NMMI was down to their last strike, but Colon was tough with two, managing to draw the base on balls. Soto then singled, and veteran sophomore Bobby Galindo came up with a clutch single to right field to score Colon and give the Broncos a 6-5 win.
NMMI used four pitchers in the Game 2. Parker Bateman started the game lasting seven innings, giving up six hits, four runs and striking out two. Angel Lebron DeJesus threw two innings striking out two and surrendering zero runs. Jeremy Griffith threw one third innings and surrendered one run. Dominic Lomelli came on and pitched the final one a two thirds innings and did not surrender a hit in getting the win.
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.
