T-Birds complete four-game sweep of NMMI

HOBBS, N.M. — New Mexico Junior College's Jacy Cave ripped a game-winning RBI double to left with two outs to score Travon Benton from first base to beat New Mexico Military Institute 6-5 in game one Saturday and followed it up with a 9-4 victory in game two at Ray Birmingham Thunderbird Field to sweep the four-game series from the Broncos.

NMJC (31-12, 19-5) has won eight straight, 11 of its last 12 and is 21-5 since March 1. The Thunderbirds remain in first place in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference – a game ahead of Howard College, two games up on Midland and are five up on fourth-place Odessa.

"We are getting there," Simpson said of his team. "We still have some things to iron out. I'm still on these guys a lot about making sure we are doing the right thing all the time. The one thing that is happening is we are starting to play better. We are really starting to hit. The pitching is going to get back going again after a tough weekend. I kind of expected it after a tough series against Howard. It's hard to get up after that. ...

"But we are definitely going in the right direction."

The first game was tied 4-4 heading into the fifth when the T-Birds took advantage of a fielding miscue by the Broncos (16-26, 9-15).

With two outs and runners on the corners, Austin Botello popped up a ball to shallow left field. The NMMI third baseman had trouble with the windy conditions and missed the ball, allowing the T-Birds to go ahead 5-4.

The score remained that way until the seventh when NMJC starter Fernando Fernandez-Beltran walked the lead-off man and was lifted for closer Brett Worthen.

After a strikeout and a single put runners on the corners with one out, NMMI's Chris Foster chopped a ball to short to Branden Grieger as the runner from first took off. The high bounce and runner taking off from first meant the only play for Grieger was to throw it to first as the Broncos tied the game 5-5 heading to the bottom of the seventh.

A NMMI error with one out put Grieger on first before Benton hit into a fielder's choice to put him on first with Cave coming up.

"There's nothing better than having that guy at the plate with the game on the line," Simpson said of Cave. "I'll take my chances with that guy every day."

Cave laced the second pitch of his at-bat down the left field line as Benton hustled from first all the way around to score the game-winning run.

Worthen picked up the win, going one inning and giving up one hit with one strikeout.

Grieger was 3-for-4 in the game for NMJC with a double and triple while Cave was 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Chad Smith got the loss for NMMI, going 1 2/3 innings and giving up an unearned run on one hit with one strikeout and one walk.

In game two the T-Birds scored at least two runs in each of the first four innings to build a 9-2 lead and cruised to the 9-4 win.

NMJC received a solid start on the mound by hard-throwing Edwin Suarez. The sophomore went five innings and gave up two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

"That would be great (for him to solidify No. 4 spot int he rotation) – he has the stuff to do it," Simpson said of Suarez. "The fastball is there. The slider is there. He's just got to get more consistent with the way he prepares for the game."

At the plate for NMJC, Grieger went 3-for-4 with two RBI, Luis Pintor went 3-for-5 with an RBI, Botello and Jeff Deimling each had two hits with Deimling adding a two-run double and Zak Felix in his first at-bat back after suffering an arm injury nearly a month ago hit a home run.

The T-Bird bullpen did the rest as it went four innings and gave up two runs (coming with two outs in the ninth) on four hits with eight strikeouts and one walk. Outside of a rough game two, the NMJC bullpen went 7 1/3 innings this series and gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits with 14 strikeouts and one walk.

George Navadel got the loss for NMMI, going 2 1/3 innings for NMMI and giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits with one strikeout and five walks.

NMJC begins a four-game series noon Friday at home against Midland College.