Peter Dindinger — NMMI Sports Press
In order to have a chance to get back into the mix, the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco baseball team has to win some big games against New Mexico Junior College.
On Friday, the opportunities were there but the Thunderbirds came out with the 4-3 win in eight innings in Game 1.
NMMI had held the 3-0 lead until NMJC rallied for three runs in the final two innings.
In Game 2, the Broncos were ahead 3-2 before the Thunderbirds pushed across four runs after the fifth and sixth innings to come away with the 6-3 win.
"Game 1 … we had opportunities to score and have a little bit better at bats to try to creep that lead. One run would have been a huge difference," said NMMI head coach Chris Cook. "That's an offense you're not going to keep down for a four-game series. They're going to score runs."
To start Game 1, the Thunderbirds took a 1-0 lead after an RBI groundout by Jesse Herrera in the top of the first.
The Broncos answered back by pushing across two runs in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI double by Guillermo Borquez and an RBI single Owen Alsup.
Armando Ramirez Jr. extended NMMI's lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third with an RBI single to center to plate home Borquez.
The script was flipped in the seventh after a leadoff single by Thomas Schreck. Lorenzo Morresi followed up with an RBI double.
After a sacrifice bunt by Aaron Lugo, Stanley Tucker hit a sacrifice fly to center drive in Morresi to tie up the game at three-all.
Morresi gave the Thunderbirds the 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth with an RBI single, which proved to be the game-winner.
NMJC out hit the Broncos 12-9.
Borquez finished 2 for 4 with a single, double and an RBI while Alsup went 2 for 3 with a pair of singles and an RBI.
Jesh Leckey also tallied a pair of singles to go 2 for 4.
Jorge Garcia dropped to 6-4 on the season after throwing seven innings allowing two earned runs on nine hits with three strikeouts.
The Thunderbirds started Game 2 with a 2-0 lead in the first. Luis Gonzalez drove in a run with a sacrifice fly while Kade Benavides hit an RBI single to highlight the frame.
With one swing of the bat, NMMI tied up the game at two-all with a two-run home run by Alsup in the bottom of the second.
An RBI single by Diego Solis in the third gave the Broncos a 3-2 lead.
A walk and a hit batter led to a one-out RBI single by Benavides in the fifth which brought two runs across the plate to give NMJC the 4-3 lead.
The Thunderbirds added on some insurance runs in the sixth with a two-run home run by Morresi.
NMMI was held to six hits.
Solis, Borquez and Alsup all went 1 for 3 while Dylan Shea finished 1 for 2 with a triple. Julian Lopez tallied a single and a double to go 2 for 3.
Jose Cabanillas Jr. suffered the loss after throwing 5.2 innings allowing six earned runs on six hits.
"The reality is we could've expanded our lead in the first game and then in Game 2 we ran into some really good left handed arms," Cook added. "We had a few opportunities and we just couldn't come through."
>> UP NEXT: NMMI completes its four-game series with NMJC with a doubleheader Sunday beginning at noon.
Game 1
New Mexico Junior College 4, NMMI 3 (8)
NMJC.…10000021 — 4 12 0
NMMI…20100000 — 3 9 2
Gerardo Grijalva, Oscar Tucci, EJ Miramontes. Jorge Garcia, Albert Oliva Velez (8). W — Miramontes. L — Garcia. 2B — NMJC: Stanley Tucker, Lorenzo Morresi; NMMI: Guillermo Borquez. 3B — None. HR — None.
Game 2
NMJC 6, NMMI 3 (7)
NMJC…2000220 — 6 8 1
NMMI..0210000 — 3 6 0
EJ Miramontes, Jesus Tovar. Jose Cabanillas Jr., Jason Maldonado. W — Tovar. L — Cabanillas. 2B — NMJC: Stanley Tucker; NMMI: Julian Lopez. 3B — NMMI: Dylan Shea. HR — NMJC: Lorenzo Morresi; NMMI: Owen Alsup.
Records — NMJC (36-14, 19-7); NMMI (25-24, 11-15).