T-Bird (BB) Splits on the Road in Midland

The T-Birds split the doubleheader today on the road against first place Midland College on Friday.

Game 1

The shorthanded T-Birds shocked the Chaps on the road in Game 1 winning 6-3. 

Issei Yanagisawa was tabbed for his first start of the year and delivered a heroic performance. The Ueda, Japan native threw six innings allowing three earned runs and just four hits. 

The Thunderbirds went into the top of the seventh inning trailing 3-1.

NMJC started the inning with two singles and then with one out Talan Barraza hit a double scoring a run to make it 3-2 Chaps. Julius Ramirez hit a sac fly to tie the game at 3-3. The T-Birds loaded the bases and took the lead on a passed ball and then a single by Lachlan Maude scored two more runs to give NMJC a commanding 6-3 lead. 

Two singles in the bottom of the seventh brought the tying run to the plate for Midland. A strikeout by Justin Nicks and then two groundouts ended the game in favor of the Thunderbirds as Nicks earned his second save of the year.  

Catcher Lachlan Maude was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Third baseman Jesus Mejias went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Shortstop Talan Barraza went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

The T-Birds finished with six hits in Game 1.

Game 2

The T-Birds struggled on the mound in Game 2 falling 17-9 in seven innings to split the Friday series. 

Midland jumped out to an 8-1 lead after four innings of play. The T-Birds came alive in the fifth inning scoring four runs to cut the lead to 8-5. 

The Chaps bounced back in the bottom of the inning scoring five runs to extend the deficit to 13-5 Midland. NMJC hit back-to-back homers from Julius Ramirez and Lane Arroyos to pull the T-Birds within five, 13-8. Travis Vlasek scored on a groundout in the top of the seventh as NMJC trailed only 13-9. 

Midland slammed the door in the bottom of the seventh scoring four runs to win 17-9. 

DH Julius Ramirez was 2-for-3 with two homers, three RBIs, three runs scored, and a walk.

First baseman Lane Arroyos went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored.

Starting pitcher Ricardo Rojas threw 3.2 innings allowing four earned on eight hits. Lane Arroyos made his collegiate debut on the mound throwing 1.2 innings striking out one, allowing one hit, and no runs.