T-Birds lose league doubleheader at Midland

Soterio Ramirez bats for NMJC during a home game against Howard College. Friday, in Midland. Ramirez hit three home runs while the T-Birds lost both ends of a doubleheader to Midland College.

The New Mexico Junior College baseball team had a rough day on the diamond Friday as the Thunderbirds were swept by Midland College in a Western Junior College Athletic Conference doubleheader in Midland.

The Thunderbirds lost the opener 8-2 and then fell 11-10 in the nightcap.

The two losses snapped NMJC's 10 game winning streak and dropped the team to 26-11 on the season while falling to 17-5 in WJCAC play. The T-Birds also slipped from second place in the conference to third place.

Midland took the early lead, plating three runs in the home half of the first. NMJC scored its first run in the top of the third, but the Chaparrals added five runs in the bottom of the fourth. The T-Birds scored their final run in the top of the seventh.

The T-Birds had six hits in the game and only one was for extra bases, Soterio Ramirez's solo home run in the seventh. Adrian Torres scored NMJC's third inning run while Carlos Contreras got the RBI.

Ty Stephenson took the loss, allowing seven runs on five hits and seven walks. Stephenson struck out six, but also allowed two home runs in three innings of work. Cade Acrey pitched the fourth and fifth innings, giving up one run on one hit and a walk while striking out two. Hobbs graduate David Ortega pitched the sixth inning. Ortega retired the side in order while recording two strikeouts.

In the second game, NMJC fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and 6-0 in the second inning. The T-Birds pushed three runs across in the third, but gave one back in the bottom of the inning. By the end of the fifth, NMJC trailed 11-3. Over the next three innings, the T-Birds clawed their way back into the game, scoring once in the sixth, four times in the seventh, and twice in the eighth, but were unable to plate the tying run.

Ramirez had two more homers in the second game to go with four RBI. Rody Barker and Daniel Haernandez each had one double while Conteras had two doubles and two RBI. Joab Gonzales had a trip to the T-Birds. Zac Vooletich and Ramirez were the only T-Birds to score multiple runs, each crossing home plate twice. Ortega had a hit and scored a run in a pinch-hitting role late in the game.

Jairo Vasquez pitched the first four innings and took the loss. Vasquez walked four and allowed five hits, including two home runs, while giving up nine runs, all earned. Anthony Chavez pitched three innings, allowing tow runs on five hits and three walks. Chavez also served up a long ball. The final inning was thrown by Tristan Stivors who retired the side in order with one strike out.

The T-Birds will be back in action on Sunday when NMJC hosts Midland College at Ray Birmingham Field in NMJC's annual Play Pink game. First pitch is set for noon.