Karen Boehler — For NMMI Sports Press
LA JUNTA, Colo. — Both the pitching and the bats were working for the Bronco baseball team Sunday as the squad opened their long-awaited season with a 15-10, 8-2 sweep of Otero Junior College in Colorado Sunday.
The four-game set was delayed a day while the Rattlers let the snow melt off the field, but the temps were comfortable as long as the sun was out and NMMI was ready to play.
"It feels good to actually be out playing, for sure," said head coach Chris Cook. "I guess I was hoping that once we were able to play it would be a lot less stressful, but it's still non-stop stress with all the Covid stuff. I know the guys were really relaxed and enjoyed being out on the field which was nice to see."
That showed from the opening pitch. While Cook said the Rattlers (0-2) are a good offensive squad, Bronco (2-0) starters Megumi Fukuda and Drew Price were solid.
"We got two really good starts out of our starting pitchers, and we had multiple guys have good offensive days," the coach said. "We just did a good job of taking advantage of some hitters' count and free bases that they gave us. The difference for the day was really starting pitching. Both of our starting pitchers pitched really well, and we kind of made them pay in Game 1 for free bases and having to go to their bullpen really early."
NMMI had two runners on with two outs in the opening stanza of Game 1, but couldn't score when Rudy Solis was caught trying to steal third. But Fukuda made quick work of the Rattlers in the bottom of the stanza, getting two strikes and a ground out.
The Broncos scored big in the second, scoring seven runs with only one out.
Edwin Martinez Pagani walked and one out later, Mario Chacon singled, then Victor Jimenez walked to load the bases. A pop fly to right by Noah Nunez scored three, then Stevenson made it 5-0 with a line-drive home run to center.
Solis reached on an Otero error then scored on a Gavon Clemons dinger to left, making it 7-0 and ending Rattler Jon Thoren's day on the mound. Kalob Padilla came in for Otero and got the second out on a ground ball, but Martinez Pagani singled and Albert Oliva Velez walked. The inning ended when the pair tried a double steal, but Martinez Pagani was out at third.
Both teams went down 1-2-3 in their next chances, then Otero put two men on in the fourth with two out, but couldn't bring either home as Fukuda struck out the side looking.
NMMI got two runners on the the fourth but couldn't score, and Fukuda continued his solid effort with a 1-2-3 bottom of the stanza.
Chacon kept his hot day going in the fifth with a home run to left, making it 8-0 Broncos, then Otero finally scored, notching two off reliever Olivia Velez. The first run came on a double and single, and the third on an error, but the Bronco defense then got a runner out at home to stall the scoring.
The Institute had another seven-run inning in the sixth, scoring on two hit batters, four walks — one with the bases loaded — singles by Martinez Pagani, Chacon and Solis and a double by Victor Jimenez.
The Rattlers had their biggest inning in the bottom of the stanza when they scored six on an error, two walks and two home runs, then added a final two off reliever Drew Graham in the seventh.
Game 2 started a lot like Game 1, with the first inning scoreless then NMMI getting on the board in the second.
This time, with one out, Guillermo Borquez singled, Henner Gonzalez Rodriguez and Chacon walked and a Rattler error scored Borquez and put Nunez on base. Stevenson struck out swinging but Martinez Pagani came through with a double that cleared the bases, making it 4-0 NMMI.
The Broncos added another run in the fourth, scoring on a double by Nunez and sac fly by Martinez off Otero pitcher Koy Jorgensen.
The Rattlers got their only runs off starter David Price in the fourth, scoring two on a single, double and two-out single. But NMMI came back strong in the fifth, scoring on three walks, a double steal, a single by Gonzalez Rodriguez and a double by Chacon.
The game was then called because of darkness, and with the Broncos celebrating a solid effort.
"Even though the games were pretty offensive, we needed those guys (the starting pitchers) to have quality outings. For the first appearance of the year for them they were in the strike zone and made good pitches."
Fukuda went four innings — 60 pitches — while allowing only one hit, one walk, no runs and striking out eight. Price also went the full 60 pitches, allowing four hits and two runs with one strikeout.
Offensively, Chacon and Martinez Pagani led the way. Chacon was 5-for-7 in the pair, with two ingles, two doubles and a home run. He tallied 5 RBI, four runs and walked once. Martinez Pagani was 4-for-6 with two singles, two doubles, two walks, 4 RBI and two runs scored.
The squads will be back at it Monday starting at noon.
"Tomorrow is another day," Cook said. "I'm sure it'll be a tougher day tomorrow. That's the way it always works. But it was a good start to the spring and we hope we get to play a lot more."