Thunderbirds split with Bulldogs
The New Mexico Junior College baseball team split its doubleheader with Navarro College Friday, losing the first game 11-10 in extra innings before taking the nightcap 14-5.
The Thunderbirds are now 8-3 on the season. NMJC will close out its four game series against the Bulldogs today with another doubleheader. First pitch from Ray Birmingham Field is slated for noon.
In the opener, walks and home runs hurt the Thunderbirds, especially the walks. NMJC walked eight players (and hit one batter) and five of them came around to score. Additionally, Navarro College scored the winning run on a bases loaded walk.
"The bases on balls and hit by pitch, those hurt us today," NMJC coach Jimmy Durham said.
As for the home runs, Navarro College hit five home runs, without the benefit of the notorious Hobbs wind. Three of the walks scored on a Bulldog home run.
"It is still light air," Durham added. "There was just barely a breeze, but they just hit them good. They (the balls) were hit good."
The T-Birds trailed 6-1 and 8-2, but battled back to take a 10-8 lead.
New Mexico Junior College sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth and scored six times. The scoring started with Soterio Ramirez's one-out solo home run. After a groundout for the second out of the inning, the T-Birds would score five more runs to take the lead.
"They did a good job of battling back," Durham said. "They hung in there and gave us a chance."
The T-Birds couldn't hold it though.
Tuck Tucker got the start, but didn't make it out of the third inning. Anthony Chavez came on in relief and by the time he left, after facing one batter in the sixth, he was in line for the win. However, Brayan Garcia came in with a one run lead and blew the save opportunity before eventually taking the loss as well.
"(Chavez) gave us a chance," Durham said. "I think he got a little tired, which they are just going to have to learn they are going to have to pitch and execute, even when they are tired. But, he did give us a chance. (Chavez) came in and did a good job right there."
Rody Barker, Jacob Cubillos, and Ramirez each had two hits. Ramirez and Barker were each 2-for-4. Ramirez score two runs and had two RBI. Barker finished with a double and an RBI. Cubillos was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
In the nightcap, the Bulldogs again scored first, plating four runs in the top of the second. After answering back with one run in the bottom of the second, NMJC scored eight times in the third. The T-Birds added another two more runs in the fourth. Navarro College scored its final run in the top of the sixth, but NMJC countered with three in the bottom of the frame.
Ramirez homered for the second straight game while Ryan Rijo and Avery Tuck also hit the ball out of the park. Tuck and Joaquin Ballesteros each had three RBI while Barker and Ramirez had two apiece.
Anthony Montoya started the game and got the win. Montoya threw five innings and allowed four runs.
JASON FARMER/NEWS-SUN Anthony Chavez pitches for the NMJC baseball team during the first game of a doubleheader Friday afternoon at Ray Birmingham Field.