Peter Dindinger -- NMMI Sports Press
Pitching has its good days and bad days.
Unfortunately, for the New Mexico Military Institute Broncos, the pitching wasn't stellar during their season-opening doubleheader against the Otero Junior College Rattlers on Saturday at NMMI Ballpark.
In Game 1, NMMI lost in extra innings by a score of 13-11. The Broncos had plenty of opportunities to come out victorious but a run scored on a throwing error by the second baseman in the ninth which gave the Rattlers a two-run cushion.
During the nightcap, Otero's offense got started with a three-run home run by Moises Hernandez, which was the third of the day for the Rattlers.
The Broncos struggled to play catch up as they dropped the game by a count of 10-3 in seven innings.
"Pitch counts got elevated, and we didn't locate a few pitches," NMMI head coach Chris Cook said. "They did a good job of taking advantage of those. The first game just came down to us making a mistake defensively where we had a two-run lead. Every run matters."
NMMI held a 3-1 lead in Game 1 after Gavon Clemons blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the first.
The Rattlers then tied up the game in the top of the fourth.
Jaden Hutchins delivered a two-RBI double in the bottom half of the inning for the Broncos to give them a 5-3 lead.
That lead was quickly erased in the sixth. Otero pushed across six runs. Juan Chaparro highlighted the inning with a two-run homer while Luke Baca hit a solo shot.
Down by three runs, NMMI battled back to tie up the game in the seventh, but Chaparro hit his second homer of the game to spark a three-run rally in the top of the eighth.
NMMI got another clutch moment from its offense as Julian Galindo hit a two-RBI double in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 11-11.
The Rattlers regained the lead in the ninth after an RBI triple by Robert Healy and a throwing error.
NMMI couldn't find the magic to win late in the game.
Tyler Hardwick got the call in Game 1 and tossed 4 1/3 innings. The Broncos had just seven hits while they took advantage of 10 walks.
Hutchins highlighted Game 1 going 1 for 4 with a single, walk, run scored, and two RBIs; while Clemons finished 2 for 3 with a single, homer and two RBIs.
Of NMMI's four hits in Game 2, Cam Stevenson was the bright spot going 2 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs. He went 2 for 3 with a single, double and two runs scored in Game 1.
NMMI's Luis Cabanillas Jr. started the second game, going 4 1/3 innings allowing 10 hits.
The Broncos conclude the four-game series with a doubleheader Sunday beginning at noon.
"Hardwick is gonna be good for us all year. He just wasn't as sharp as he normally is," Cook said. "We need better starting pitching in Game 2.
"We've also got to hit. We're not gonna win any games scoring one run, but it's also hard to hit when you're down seven runs in the second and third inning."