Thunderbirds split with Broncos

JASON FARMER NEWS-SUN
May 6, 2019

Mark Barillas pitches for NMJC Saturday during the T-Birds 8-2 win over New Mexico Military Institute at Ray Birmingham Field. Barillas was the winning pitcher.

The New Mexico Junior College baseball team had a rough day on the diamond Saturday, splitting a double header with New Mexico Military Institute. NMJC won the opener 8-2, but lost the nightcap 7-5.

In the opener, the T-Birds led from their first at bat. Three pitches into the home half of the first, Rody Barker homered over the left field fence, giving NMJC a 1-0 lead. The T-Birds would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the first.

The Broncos scored once in the top of the second, but NMJC got the run right back in the bottom of the frame when Barker hit his second home of the game, a one-out, first pitch offering that he crushed over the fence to give NMJC a 4-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Kenneth Gonzalez belted a two-run homer over the left field fence for the T-Birds. On the next pitch, Adrian Torres crushed one over the right field fence, giving NMJC a 7-1 lead. The Broncos scored a run in the top of the sixth, NMMI scored its final run of the game while the T-Birds scored their final run in the bottom of the sixth.

Three T0birds had multiple hits, Carlos Contreras, Barker, and Joab Gonzalez. Contreras was 4-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Joab Gonzalez was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored while Barker had a pair of home runs.

Mark Barillas started the game and got the win. Barillas pitched six innings, allowing two unearned runs on four hits and two walks. He also struck out seven.

In the second game NMJC took the early lead with runs in the first and second inning. NMMI scored five times in the fifth, putting NMJC in a 5-2 deficit, but the T-Birds struck back for three runs to tie the game in the bottom of the frame.

The game wasn't tied long though as NMMI scored twice in the top of the sixth to cap the day's scoring.

The T-Birds had six hits in the game, four of which were doubles. Daniel Hernandez had two doubles while Soterio Ramirez and Torres each had one. Hernandez had two RBI and two runs scored for NMJC.

Pablo Suarez started the game and last just 4.2 innings. He allowed five runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.