T-Birds go 2-2 at Nevada tourney

NEWS-SUN STAFF REPORT
January 29, 2019

The New Mexico Junior College baseball team won two games and lost two during its season-opening tournament in Henderson, Nevada over the weekend.

The Thunderbirds opened the season with an 8-0 loss and followed that up with a 9-1 win. On Saturday, NMJC lost to College of Southern Nevada 12-4 before closing out the trip with an 11-7 win over Gateway Community College on Sunday.

The T-Birds had seven hits against Southern Nevada but Daniel Hernandez was the only NMJC player to get multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored, and an RBI. Hobbs graduate David Ortega was 0-for-1 with a pair of walks.

Luis Inoa took the loss, allowing seven runs on three hits and three walks. He struck out one and allowed a home run in just one-third of an inning.

Against Gateway, the T-Bird pounded out 16 hits and five players had multiple hits. Carlos Contreras and Carlos Payano each went 3-for-5. Payano had a run and two RBI while Contreras had a double, two runs, and an RBI. Rody Barker and Adrian Torres were each 2-for-6 while Hernandez was 2-for-4 and Joab Gonzales was 2-for-2. Hernandez scored a run and plated one. Barker had a pair of doubles and scored twice. Torres also had a double, along with two runs and two RBI.

On the mound, Mark Barillas got the start and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks over four innings of work with four strikeouts. Ortega pitched the next two innings, allowing one run on one hit and two walks. Tristan Stivors pitched a perfect seventh inning while Cade Acrey closed out the game by allowing three runs on two hits and two walks with a strikeout over the final two innings.

New Mexico Junior College (2-2) will be back on the diamond on February 10 when the T-Birds play Ranger College in Abilene. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. (CST).