On Friday afternoon, New Mexico Military Institute improved to 14-18 overall and 2-12 in conference play with an 11-1 win in game one and 9-4 win in game two at the NMMI Ballpark. With the pair of losses, Frank Phillips College dips to 8-24 on the year with a 2-12 mark in conference play.
GAME 1
After two scoreless frames to open the series, NMMI opened the bottom of the third inning with a walk by Joek Rivera Colon who later moved to third with the help of a single by Seojun Oh. In the next at bat, the Broncos were able to score a run but Frank Phillips converted a double play. In the fourth inning, NMMI scored another run to go up 2-0, with an RBI single by Rivera Colon.
Frank Phillips responded with their lone run in the top of the fifth inning as C Sanderson homered to left field to make it a 2-1 ball game. In the home half of the fifth inning, the Broncos flexed their muscles.
NMMI opened the frame by loading the bases with a walk by Oh and back-to-back singles by Wonjae Cho and Seung Min Shin, which scored the first run of the frame. With no outs, Misael Maldonado Baez picked up his eight double of the year to give the Broncos a 5-1 advantage. After a strikeout, Yahir Fonseca Ortiz recorded his 21st RBI with a single – his 25th hit of the season.
Up 8-1, Seung Min Shin opened the bottom of the sixth inning with a triple – his second of the game. After Misael Maldonado Baez was walked, Yahir Fonseca Ortiz belted his fifth homer of the year to give the Broncos their first win in conference play, 11-1.
In 6.0 innings of work, Hyunwook Lee faced 21 batters allowing just one run while striking out a pair of batters in the process. Yahir Fonseca Ortiz finished game one hitting 3-for-4, with a game-high three RBI.
GAME 2
In the bottom of the first inning, Oh opened game two with an RBI single to put the Broncos ahead early. After a scoreless second inning, the Broncos continued their momentum as they scored four runs to take a commanding 5-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Yahir Fonseca Ortiz recorded a 2-RBI double to put the home team ahead 7-0. However, the Plainsmen answered in the top of the fifth inning with two pairs of runs to make it a 7-2 ballgame but the Broncos would answer again to make it a 9-2 ballgame after five innings.
In the top of the eighth inning, the Plainsmen made the game interesting as they added a pair of runs to make it a 9-4 ballgame. With a couple of pitching changes in the final innings, the Broncos secured their second win in conference play 9-4.
Head Coach Chris Cook on the doubleheader, "Game one especially, we played all three phases well. We pitched, played some good defense and barreled up on balls. Through the lineup I think we had some pretty good at-bats against a good pitcher, who just beat NMJC," Cook said. "In game two, their guy hadn't thrown many strikes all year but we were in the zone, we did take advantage of some walks he gave us. The only disappointing thing today was we gave them a little bit of momentum at the end of the doubleheader. If we can get back into our approach and stay loose offensively I like our chances tomorrow." Cook said.
NMMI concludes the four game series against Frank Phillips College tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. MST at the NMMI Ballpark.