T-Birds Sweep El Paso, Extend Streak to 12
The T-Birds earned their 11th straight win in a 7-5 win over El Paso Community College on Saturday afternoon.
The Thunderbirds trailed 2-0 after three innings of play. NMJC scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning to take their first lead of the game.
A run in the fifth and two insurance runs in the sixth gave the T-Birds a commanding 7-3 lead headed into the bottom of the seventh. NMJC surrendered two runs, but ultimately won 7-5.
Max Swenson earned his second win of the season coming in relief of starting pitcher Landen Yorek. The sophomore right-hander went three innings allowing one hit and one earned run on six strikeouts. Swenson's ERA this season is 3.74.
Third baseman Dylan Jasso went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in Friday afternoon's 7-5 win. Left fielder Kolton Koonce was 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored. Center fielder John David Moreno batted 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored.
T-Birds have won 11 straight games and are 33-9 (20-3) on the season. They remain in first place in the WJCAC.
Game 2
Designated hitter Jesse Herrera hit two 2-runs home runs in the second and fourth innings to lift the Thunderbirds to a 26-10 win over the El Paso Tejanos. Herrera finished 3-for-5 with four RBI's and five runs scored. The four-game sweep extended the Thunderbirds win streak to 12.
The T-Birds got on the board with a six-run second inning and followed the scoring barrage up with three runs in the third, two runs in the fourth, and a run in the fifth to make the score 12-6 after five innings.
The Thunderbirds poured in four more runs in the eighth inning and 10 runs in the ninth to increase their run total to a season-high 26 runs in the 26-10 win over El Paso.
Garrett Thiele came in relief of the starting pitcher Isaiah Arteaga going two and a third innings allowing two hits and two earned runs to grab his second win of the season.
Shortstop Brent Iredale led the Thunderbirds at the plate going 3-for-6 with five RBIs and four runs scored. The sophomore had two doubles and a 3-run home run in the ninth inning.
First baseman Luis Gonzalez was 4-for-6 from the plate with four runs scored and three RBI's. Right fielder Rafael Gross went 4-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored.
Second baseman Aaron Lugo went 3-for-6 with three doubles and three runs scored.
Center fielder John David Moreno finished with four RBIs. The T-Birds tallied 24 hits in the 16-run win over the Tejanos. Saturday was the third time this season the Thunderbirds have scored 20 or more runs and second time this series.
T-Birds have won 12 straight games and are 34-9 (21-3) on the season. They maintain their first place spot in the WJCAC and are four games ahead of second place Midland College.
NMJC is ranked No. 14 in the most recent NJCAA DI Baseball Rankings. The T-Birds will face New Mexico Military Institute in a doubleheader Friday and Saturday at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. MDT in Hobbs, NM at Ray Birmingham Field.