NMMI Sports Press
10-Mar-10

ARTESIA – The Colt boys’ and girls’ tennis teams took on the Bulldogs from Artesia High in a dual meet Tuesday, with the boys taking a 9-0 victory while the girls fell 1-8.

Here’s the results for each match:

Boys’ Team
Singles
1) Jose Gonzalez won 6-0, 6-0
2) Jose Cobo won 6-0, 6-0
3) Eduardo Cepeda won 6-0, 6-1
4) Jorge Garza won 6-0, 6-1
5) Luis Moncada won 6-1, 6-3
6) Jordan Ward won 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
1) Gonzalez/Cepeda won 6-1, 6-2
2) Cobo/Garza won 6-0, 6-3
3) Jonathan Kawula/Ward won 6-2, 5-7, (10-4)

Girls
Singles
1) Alexandra Ward won 6-7, 6-3, (10-4)
2)Casey Jacobi lost 1-6, 0-6
3) Mariah Garcia lost 1-6, 0-6
4) Bailey Wohler lost 0-6, 0-6
5) forfeit
6) forfeit
Doubles
1) Ward/Jacobi lost 2-6, 0-6
2) Garcia/Wohler lost 1-6, 1-6
3) forfeit

Next up for the Colts will be another dual match against the visiting Warriors from Ruidoso on Thursday, March 11. First serve begins at 3 p.m. on the NMMI tennis courts.

NMMI's ace, game one starter Austin Washburn.

NMMI Sports Press
08-Mar-10 

The Eunice Cardinals won both games against the New Mexico Military Institute Colts in Monday evening’s baseball doubleheader, the first official games of the season for both teams. 

The Cards needed just five innings to get the win in game one, scoring 19 runs off 16 hits, and helped along by seven Colt errors. Eunice struck early, plating one run in the top of the first off starting NMMI pitcher Austin Washburn. They added another run in the top of the second, and four more in the top of the third to go up 6-0. The Colts came storming back with four runs of their own in the bottom of the third, but a 10-run train wreck in the top of the fourth gave Eunice a 16-4 lead. After starting pitcher Tyler Almager blanked the Institute in the bottom of the fourth, Eunice would spring for three more runs. The Colts failed to score again in the fifth, ending the game, 19-4, due to the mercy rule. Washburn went three innings in the loss, giving up six runs, only two of which were earned, off nine hits, while striking out three and walking four. Almager went the distance for the win, pitching five complete innings, allowing 4 earned runs off five hits, while striking out 10 and walking three. 

Game two was a much closer affair. Eunice again put up a 1-spot in the top of the first, then added another single run in the top of the third. The Colts took the lead in their half of the inning, scoring three runs on a bases-loaded double by Tyler Nelson. The Cards tied things up in the fourth, three all, with another run, then broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning off NMMI reliever Harshul Ganjawala. Cardinal starting pitcher Gage Guffey pitched four shutout innings after the bottom of the third to win the second game 7-4, and complete the sweep. NMMI starting pitcher Tyler Nelson went four innings, striking out five, while giving up three runs off three hits. Reliever Ganajawala was tagged with the loss after tossing the last three innings, giving up four runs, all unearned, off three hits, while striking out three and walking four. 

NMMI’s Tyler Nelson not only had a solid performance on the mound, he also had a great day at the plate, going 5 for 6 with three singles, a double and a triple, driving in five runs and scoring another. 

The losses put NMMI at 0-2 on the season, with a pair of games on tap in Loving versus the Falcons on Thursday, March 11^, beginning at 4 p.m. 

For a complete game recap, check out Karen Boehler’s article in the Chaves County Sports Report: Youthful Colts fall to Eunice, but show promise

Box Scores:
Game 1
Game 2
Doubleheader: Colts
Doubleheader: Cardinals 

Play By Plays:
Game 1
Game 2 

Photo Gallery: (All photos taken by Patrick Haney) 

Eunice's game one starter, Tyler Almager.

NMMI's Rafael Cardenas gets picked-off at first base.

Austin Washburn takes a pitch for a ball, low and inside.

Eunice's Mark Newton rounds third and heads home.

NMMI's Chase Cavin holding a runner on at first base.

Coach Ward giving instruction to Ernesto Bustamante.

The Cardinals' Newton slides into second on a stolen base before the Colts' Tyler Nelson can make a tag.

NMMI's Harshul Ganjawala looks to score after rounding third base.

NMMI's Aaron Scarpa crosses the plate to score, ahead of the throw.

NMMI's game two starter, Tyler Nelson, on the bump.

The Institute's Arturo Quintana awaits the throw at third as the Eunice player slides in.

Nelson gets a hit for NMMI in game two.

NMMI Sports Press
08-Mar-10

ABILENE, Texas – The Bronco women’s tennis team hit the road this weekend to take on two teams in the NCAA’s division II Lone Star Conference, plus the NJCAA’s 3rd ranked women’s tennis team in the country, Lee College.

Friday’s play began against Lee College. Top seed Karla Martinez defeated the Rebel’s ace, Dionecia Akina in a split set tie-breaker. Martinez and Akanesi Fa then teamed up at No. 1 doubles to defeat Akina and Manuela Gomez in a very close pro set, 9-8. Breigh Shotwell and Deborah Wright both fell in singles play and again in doubles.

Friday afternoon’s match was against NCAA D2 school Abilene Christian University. The Lady Broncos were unable to snag a win in either singles or doubles play, but both Martinez and Fa came close, forcing tie-breakers in their singles matches.

Against University of the Incarnate Word on Saturday, another NCAA D2 opponent, the Institue picked up wins in the first three singles spots: Martinez defeated Stephanie Rodriguez, Fa defeated Erica Engberg, and Breigh Shotwell got her first win of the season by outlasting Alex Adams.

“We played some tough competition this weekend,” said Bronco coach Zeljka Vidic. “It’s good for us to get experience by going up against top programs like these. We’re getting better and we’ll keep plugging away.”

Match Scores:

NMMI Sports Press
08-Mar-10

ABILENE, Texas – The Bronco men’s tennis team travelled this weekend to play two scored matches and one scrimmage vs. three different teams in the NCAA’s division II Lone Star Conference.

The first match Friday was a scrimmage vs. Abilene Christian University. No score was kept. Later that afternoon the Broncos squared off against Incarnate Word University, losing 0-5, with several matches in singles play  unable to be completed due to darkness. On Saturday, NMMI lost a close match, 4-5, to Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

“The weather was great and the Bronco’s got 12 hours of super tennis in,” said Bronco coach Gene Hardman. “The privilege to play against schools of this caliber is just terrific. Our players fought all the way and are ready for hopefully a four match sweep when we play in Silver City on the 19th and 20th of March.”

Match Scores:

Wade Thomas hits a 3-pointer, one of only two buckets scored by the Colts in the first period.

NMMI Sports Press
07-Mar-10

ALBUQUERQUE – Spotting a team 15 points to start a game is never a great way to start a game, especially the No. 2 seed in Class 3A. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened last night as the New Mexico Military Institute Colt boys’ basketball team took on Sandia Prep in the first round of the NMAA State Playoffs, losing 37-70.

The Sundevils held a 17 point lead after the first, 22-5, thanks in part to eight points from forward Kody Salcido, who led all scorers with 17 on the night. The first points for the Colts didn’t come until the under two-minute mark for the period, when Giles Zollar finally pierced the seemingly saran-wrapped hoop with a 2-pointer. Wade Thomas hit a 3-pointer shortly after to give the Colts their five points. 

The Sundevils extended their lead by eleven in the second period by outscoring the Colts, 19-8, giving them a 28 point lead at halftime.

Both teams played even ball in the third, with eleven points scored by each team. NMMI’s Wade Thomas had seven of his team-high 13 points in the period.

Joaquin Eriacho had eight of his nine points for the the Institute in the fourth quarter, but six players for Sandia contributed baskets, including six more from Salcido. The Sundevils won the fourth by five, 18-13.

The loss finishes the Colt’s record at 18-11 for the season.

Photo Gallery:

NMMI's Giles Zollar takes a shot in the paint early in the second period against Sendevil Harry Hampden-Smith.

John Mitchell pentrates, shoots and scores for the Colts in the third period. Mitchell finished with seven points.

NMMI's Wade Thomas gets fouled by Sandia's Doug Passalaqua while driving in for the shot close to the basket.

The Institute's Nathan Moore dribbles the ball into the corner, searching for as way around the defense by Sandia's Saim Diaz-Strandberg.

NMMI's Joaquin Eriacho takes a shot over Sendevil Kody Salcido in the second period.

Thomas gets off the uncontested 3-pointer in the third period. He hit two 3s in the game, good for six of his team-leading 13 points.