Thunderbirds beat Cisco for 4th straight win

JASON FARMER  NEWS-SUN
February 21, 2019

Cade Acrey pitches for NMJC during a home game last season. Acrey picked up the save in the T-Birds' 6-4 win.

The New Mexico Junior College baseball team won its fourth straight game Wednesday when the Thunderbirds beat Cisco College 6-4. The T-Birds took the early lead and while Cisco College battled back, NMJC never trailed.

The T-Birds scored twice in the top of the second and added a run in the top of the fifth. NMJC pushed two more runs across in the top of the eighth to seal win before adding an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Cisco scored once in the bottom of the fourth and seventh and got its final two runs in the bottom of the ninth.

New Mexico Junior College had nine hits in the game and only one for extra bases. The T-Birds also drew five free passes.

Hobbs graduate Date Ortega and Zac Vooletich were the only T-Birds to have multiple hits. Ortega was 2-for-4 with a run scored while Vooletich was 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI.

Daniel Hernandez had one hit and two runs batted in while Soterio Ramirez had a base hit and two runs scored. Angel Delacruz had two of the T-Birds walks. Adrian Torres had a triple and scored one run while Rody Barker was hit by a pitch and also crossed home plate. Carlos Contreras stole NMJC's only base.

On the mound, Tristan Stivors got the start, and the win. Stivors pitched 6.2 innings in which he walked five and allowed five hits, but also struck out five while allowing just two runs. Anthony Chavez recorded four outs. He allowed one run on one hit and struck out one. Cade Acrey pitched the ninth and allowed two hits, one being a home run. He also walked one while earning the save.

With the win, NMJC improves to 6-3 on the season. The T-Birds' doubleheader with Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas this weekend has been cancelled because of weather. The T-Birds next schedule game will be on Friday, March 1 at McLennan Community College. NMJC's home opener will be on Friday, March 8 when the T-Birds host El Paso Community College for a four-game series.