T-Bird (BSB) Drops 2 Tight Contests to No. 17 CSN

NMJC baseball dropped their first two games of the season to No. 17 College of Southern Nevada on Thursday, Jan. 29.

Of note is that the T-Birds played all four games in Henderson, Nevada with wood bats. Traditionally NMJC will play with BBCOR bats.  

Game 1

Ricardo Rojas started on the mound for the T-Birds in the season opener.

The sophomore right-hander got into some trouble with two outs in the second inning and loaded the bases. A balk scored the first run of the afternoon for the Coyotes, and a double scored two more runs in the inning to give CSN a 3-0 lead after two innings of play. Javier Diaz put the T-Birds on the board with a solo shot in the fourth inning to make the score 3-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, CSN scored two more runs to push the lead to 5-1. NMJC went into the fifth inning with just one hit, but the bats lit up as they recorded three base knocks in the fifth inning. Sophomore Talan Barraza's registered a 2-run double and center fielder Casen Savage singled in another run in the inning to pull NMJC within a run of CSN 5-4.

The Thunderbirds did not record another hit the rest of the game and fell 5-4 in seven innings.

Starter Ricardo Rojas picked up the loss going 3.2 innings allowing three earned runs, three walks, and striking out two. Riley Hall came in relief allowing just one hit. 

Shortstop Talan Barraza went 1-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, and a run scored. Javier Diaz's only hit of the day was a solo home run. Catcher Peyton Pierce finished the day 1-for-3. NMJC ended Game 1 with four hits and one error.    

Game 2

The second game of the doubleheader was a pitcher's duel.

Sergio Lugo started for NMJC and went four innings striking out four batters and allowing two hits. Brandon Stewart came in relief and threw another four innings striking out five batters and allowing only one hit.  

Southern Nevada's pitching was as good as the Thunderbirds in the evening game. The Coyotes had a no-hitter through 8 ⅓ innings when Jeter Battles broke it up with a single in the ninth. Battles' single was the only hit recorded for NMJC in Game 2. 

NMJC went to extra innings where reliever Kyle Moczygemba received the loss after allowing an RBI-single in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Coyotes a 1-0 win. CSN's extra inning rules were unique in that they loaded the bases prior to the first at bat with one out already recorded. 

NMJC ended Thursday with an 0-2 record, losing by a single run in each game.