On Saturday afternoon New Mexico Military Institute completed the series sweep over Clarendon College with a 14-3 win in game three, followed by a 16-7 win the cap off the weekend. With the pair of wins the Broncos improved to 20-6 overall with a 6-2 mark in conference play. With the losses, Clarendon dips to 2-6 in conference play with a 5-21 overall record.
GAME 1
NMMI struck first in the bottom of the first inning after Damwoo Kim opened the frame with a single and Seungmin Shin followed with another base hit. With two outs, Javier Yepiz delivered the first big swing of the day, blasting a two-run home run to center field to give the Broncos an early 2–0 advantage.
The Bulldogs answered in the second inning when J. Diaz singled, stole second, and later scored on an RBI single by A. Litton to cut the deficit to 2–1. They continued the pressure in the third inning, tying the game and briefly threatening to take control. J. Menjivar doubled home a run before Diaz delivered another RBI double to even the score at 3–3.
The tie didn't last long.
In the bottom of the third, the Broncos erupted for a massive offensive inning. Shin jump started the rally with a solo home run to center to regain the lead. NMMI then capitalized on defensive errors and aggressive baserunning to extend the advantage. A fielder's choice from Joek Rivera and a sacrifice fly by Alec Guevara pushed the lead to 6–3 before the long ball returned. Eliseo Ramirez launched a two-run homer to left field, and Kylian Bamberger followed with a solo blast to center as the Colts poured on six runs in the inning.
NMMI kept the momentum going in the fourth when Yepiz doubled and later scored on an RBI single from Guevara. Rivera later crossed the plate on a double-play ball, stretching the lead to 11–3.
Meanwhile, Jiyeong Park controlled the game on the mound. The right-hander racked up multiple strikeouts and shut down the Bulldogs lineup over the final three innings, retiring the side in order in both the fifth and sixth.
The Broncos added the final touches in the sixth inning when Ramirez delivered an RBI single before Shin capped his huge day with a two-run single.
Shin led the offensive charge with a home run, triple, double, and multiple RBIs, while Ramirez and Yepiz also homered as NMMI powered its way to the decisive win.
GAME 2
The final game of the series began as a tight pitcher's duel before NMMI broke it open with a huge offensive surge in the middle innings.
The Bulldogs went down in order in the top of the first inning, recording two groundouts and a flyout. NMMI threatened in the bottom half when Seungmin Shin singled to right field, but Bryan Rivera struck out two batters and induced a flyout to escape the inning. Both teams continued to struggle offensively in the second inning as pitchers controlled the game. Trevor Johnson struck out two Bulldogs and stranded a runner, while NMMI managed a double from Sangwoon Jeon but could not capitalize after a double play ended the inning.
The Bulldogs finally broke through in the top of the third inning. N. Walker singled and eventually advanced to third base. J. Menjivar delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing Walker home and giving the Bulldogs a 1–0 lead. The Bulldogs added another run in the fourth when J. Diaz singled and later scored on A. Litton's sacrifice bunt, extending the lead to 2–0.
NMMI responded in the bottom of the fourth as Sangwoon Jeon launched a solo home run to right field, cutting the deficit to 2–1. The game shifted dramatically in the fifth inning when NMMI erupted for a massive rally. After loading the bases, a hit-by-pitch tied the game. Missael Maldonado Baez then crushed a three-run homer to give NMMI the lead. The offense kept rolling with additional hits, including a three-run home run from Seungmin Shin and a two-run triple by Joek Rivera Colon, as NMMI exploded for nine runs in the inning.
The Bulldogs attempted a comeback in the sixth. After loading the bases with walks, J. Menjivar cleared them with a three-run triple, and another run scored on a single by D. Declancy to cut the deficit to 11–7. However, NMMI answered again in the bottom half with multiple extra-base hits, adding five more runs.
NMMI ultimately secured the 16–7 victory as their powerful middle-inning offense proved too much for the Bulldogs to overcome.
Head Coach Chris Cook on the series sweep, "We pitched well the entire weekend from the first guy out there to the last guy on the mound. Besides game four, we also played great defensively all weekend … we also saw a lot of double play to help out our pitchers all series," Cook said. "we're in a good spot right now but we're just working on being healthy," Cook said.
UP NEXT
The Broncos return to action on Tuesday, March 17 when they travel to Las Vegas, NM for a doubleheader with Luna Community College, starting at noon.