On Saturday afternoon, New Mexico Military split its doubleheader against Western Texas College at the NMMI Ballpark. With the 3-1 series win, the Broncos moved to 9-3 in conference play and 25-7 overall. Western Texas moves to 8-22 overall and 5-7 in WJCAC play.
GAME 1
The game began with Western Texas threatening in the 1st inning as pitcher Jiyeong Park navigated two walks and a single to load the bases. However, he escaped the jam by inducing a ground out from L. Trager. NMMI's offense was similarly stalled in the bottom half when Missael Maldonado Baez was caught stealing to end the frame.
After a quiet 2nd inning, NMMI broke the stalemate in the bottom of the 3rd. Wonjae Cho ignited the rally with a solo home run to left field. Following a hit-by-pitch, Seungmin Shin reached on a hard single and advanced to third on a costly error by right fielder K. Kochell, which allowed a second run to score. Shin then crossed the plate on a Joek Rivera Colon ground out, pushing the lead to 3-0.
NMMI added to their cushion in the 4th inning when Kylian Bamberger launched a solo home run to right field. Western Texas attempted to answer in the 4th and 6th innings, putting two runners on in both frames, but Park and reliever Ryan Alsup consistently shut the door.
The bottom of the 5th proved decisive. Against reliever H. Johnson, NMMI utilized a sacrifice fly by Damwoo Kim and a wild pitch to manufacture two runs. Kylian Bamberger then capped the rally with a two-RBI double to right, extending the lead to 8-0.
Western Texas managed a two-out single by B. House in the top of the 7th, but the comeback effort remained stalled as Ryan Alsup maintained control on the mound and completed the 8-0 shutout win.
GAME 2
In an absolute offensive explosion, Western Texas College outlasted NMMI in a high-scoring seesaw battle that saw both teams combine for over 30 runs.
Western Texas jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st following a D. Malone triple. NMMI answered quickly with a sacrifice fly and eventually tied the game 3-3 in the 2nd when Alec Guevara laced a two-run single. After NMMI took a brief 4-3 lead in the 3rd, Western Texas exploded in the 4th inning for five runs, highlighted by a Berndt two-run homer and a two-run triple by C. Fuentes, making it 8-4.
NMMI clawed back, eventually tying the game 8-8 in the 6th on a two-run blast by Javier Yepiz. They briefly took a 9-8 lead via a sacrifice fly, but Western Texas responded with a massive six-run 7th, fueled by a two-run double from L. Trager and a two-run double by Stewart.
NMMI refused to quit, scoring five runs in the bottom of the 7th—including another Yepiz homer and a Damwoo Kim triple—to tie the game once more at 14-14.
Western Texas finally pulled away in the 8th, scoring four runs on RBI hits by Malone, House, and Stewart to go up 18-14. Reliever J. Lopez settled things down, holding NMMI scoreless over the final frames to secure the wild victory.
Head Coach Chris Cook on the series, "I mean the defense has been not just this series but the past couple of weeks and today our defense let us down in game four," Cook said. "I never felt like we were out of it … all the way to the last at bat I felt we had a chance to take the game, " Cook said. "Overall, we did a good job this weekend batting at the plate and hitting the ball, Cook said. "But we'll move on to next week and get ready for one of the top teams of the conference," Cook said.
UP NEXT
The Broncos return to action on Friday, March 27 when they take on Howard College on the road for their second road conference series of the season.