On Sunday afternoon, New Mexico Military Institute improved to 8-4 on the year as the split Sunday's doubleheader against Otero College. Otero took game one 5-0 but NMMI responded with a 9-0 win in game two to secure the second series win of the season for the Broncos.
Game 1
The theme of game one early on was defense. Through the first five innings of action neither team was able to get themselves on the scoreboard. In the first five innings, NMMI recorded four singles but were unable to make anything out of it.
In the top of the sixth inning, Otero got on the board. With two outs and no runners on, Rylan Bynum homered to left field as the Rattlers took the initial 1-0 lead. An inning later, Otero was able to score four runs. The Rattlers scored first with an error, then followed that up with an RBI double to take a 4-0 lead. With two outs, Noah Chamblee recorded an RBI single as Otero made it a 5-0 ball game.
In the bottom half, the Broncos were retired in order as Otero took game one 5-0.
Seojun Oh finished game one hitting 3-for-3, with a double. Seung Min Shin tallied a pair of hits as the duo tallied five of the seven total hits for NMMI.
Game 2
In game two, the Broncos looked like a different team. In the bottom of the first, Joek Rivera Colon smashed his third home of the year on the first pitch he saw over the left field fence. An inning later, the Broncos got runners on first and second to set the stage for Seojun Oh. Continuing his excellent afternoon, Oh belted a three-run shot to left center to put NMMI in the driver's seat 4-0.
In the fifth inning with a pair of runners in scoring position and two outs, Hunter Martin didn't shy away. Martin tallied his seventh RBI of the season with a 2-RBI double, as the Broncos took a 7-0 lead. Again in the bottom of the sixth, the Broncos were able to score a pair of runs. This time, Yahir Fonseca Ortiz picked his ninth and tenth RBI of the season, with a 2-RBI single to give NMMI a nine-point lead.
In game two, Seung Min Shin finished hitting 3-for-3, while scoring a pair of runs in the process. Seojun Oh recorded a hit and three RBIs in three at bats. Getting the starting nod on the mound, Trevor Johnson allowed three hits in 6.0 innings. Johnson allowed no walks while striking out six batters in the process.
Head Coach Chris Cook on the series win, "it's always good to get three out of four and respond the way we did in game four was perfect," Cook said. Despite picking up a shutout win, "we can't rely on pitching to win us the games … We're going to get back to work tomorrow and prepare for Lamar next weekend," Cook said.
The Broncos return to action Friday, Feb. 28 as they host Lamar Community College at 2 p.m. MST. The four-game series continues on Saturday with a doubleheader with the series concluding Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m. MST.