Broncos Earn Series Split with Howard

 

4/1/07

 

Roswell, NM – After splitting the first two games of the conference series with Howard College 7-3 and 1-12, the NMMI baseball team needed another victory to keep their post-season chances alive.  Howard was able to take the third game of the series 8-3 but NMMI was able to bounce back and stay alive with a 14-6 victory in the series finale. 

 

Ismael Solis put together another strong pitching performance as the Broncos won game one of the series 7-3.  In five innings pitched, Solis allowed on three runs on ten hits.  Anthony Paez pitched two scoreless innings to close out the game for the Broncos.  Karl Johnston had four runs batted in on a triple and a double.

 

NMMI’s Andrew Macias pitched 5.1 innings in game three allowing eight runs, only six of which were earned.  The Broncos were held scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning Brian Bustos scored Karl Johnston and Jesus Flores on a two-out single.  Sean Kaerwer would later add the Broncos’ third score of the inning when he advanced on a wild pitch.  In the end, Howard held on to the 8-3 victory.  Clay Bradford led the Broncos with two hits.

 

NMMI’s offensive struggles continued through the fifth inning of game four when they found themselves down 4-1.  They scored seven runs in the fifth inning and three runs in the sixth and seventh innings to finish the game.  Every Bronco starter finished with at least one hit and eight had at least two hits as the Broncos pounded twenty totals hits in the game.  Bradford, Flores and Johnston each had three hits in the game.

 

Sophomore Gabe Arellano was the benefactor of the run support.  The lefty earned his first victory of the season pitching six complete innings, allowing only five runs.  Roswell’s Ed Vidales came on in relief for Arellano, allowing one run in one inning as the Broncos went on the win 14-6.

 

The series split pushes NMMI’s overall record to 11-22 on the season and are now 2-8 in the WJCAC.