Peter Dindinger – NMMI Sports Press
Baseball is a game of streaks, and right now the New Mexico Military Institute Broncos are enjoying a good wave of momentum.
On a dreary Saturday afternoon at NMMI Ballpark, the Broncos swept the Colby Community College Trojans by the scores of 12-9 and 9-6.
The Broncos (10-4) are riding a seven-game winning streak.
In Game 1, the NMMI offense caught fire scoring six runs in the first inning before the Trojans took a one-run lead. The Broncos broke a 9-9 tie after a clutch two-RBI single from Julian Galindo in the bottom of the fifth.
During the nightcap, the Broncos trailed 3-2 before the offense rallied for four runs in the fourth after a three-run home run by Cameron Stevenson and a sacrifice fly by Jesh Leckey.
The Trojans (2-6) scored three runs in the ninth, but the NMMI bullpen prevailed to edge out the victory.
"They did some serious damage in the third inning of Game 1 on some two-strike pitches that we just did not locate," said NMMI head coach Chris Cook. "But we got what we needed out of the bullpen.
"We were able to get into their bullpen a little bit early and that ended up paying off for us. All in all, a pretty good offense day. Again, we took advantage of the opportunities we were given."
The big rally in the first inning of Game 1 was highlighted by a two-RBI double from Rudy Solis. NMMI got one more in the second on a RBI double by Edwin Martinez.
Colby Community College then got a pair of clutch two-run homers by John Vulcano and Hagen Barcella to spark an eight-run rally that gave the Trojans an 8-7 lead.
Solis gave the Broncos the lead back after hitting a two-RBI triple in the fourth. Colby Community College then tied up the game on a solo home run by Nick Hosie in the fifth.
Galindo tallied a momentum-changing two-RBI single in the bottom half of the inning to put the Broncos back on top, 11-9.
Solis went 3 for 4, just a homer shy of the cycle. He had a single, double, triple and four RBIs. Galindo went 2 for 3 with two singles and two RBIs while Dylan DiLorenzo finished 2 for 3 with two singles and an RBI.
Adrian Talavera recorded the win after striking out seven batters in four innings of work, allowing just two hits.
NMMI outhit Colby Community College, 13-11.
The hits were minimal in the nightcap. NMMI left nine runners stranded as it could've ended the game early courtesy of the run rule.
Down 2-0 early on, the Broncos got on the board with a solo homer by Jaden Hutchins in the second. Solis then tied the game in the third with a sacrifice fly that plated home Leckey.
The Trojans took a one-run lead in the fourth after a solo homer by Dylan Simmons. NMMI rallied back with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Stevenson launched a big three-run homer in the inning.
Stevenson went 2 for 4 with a single, walk and four RBIs while Hutchins finished 1 for 2 with an RBI and three walks.
Jose Cabanillas struck out seven batters in six innings while allowing three hits. The bullpen allowed just four hits while fanning six batters.
With high winds scheduled in the forecast for Sunday's doubleheader, the Broncos will have to be sharp if they want to sweep the series. Game 3 begins at noon.
"I'd like to see us get a lot better with our two-strike approach," Cook said. "We left some runners out there. We can't do that consistently, otherwise it's gonna come back to bite us.
"We're gonna see another good arm in Game 3. Hopefully we'll come out with a good plan."