On Friday afternoon New Mexico Military Institute split the two games against Amarillo College at the NMMI Ballpark. In game one, the Broncos won 10-0 after six innings but fell 17-2 in game two. With the split the Broncos moved to 13-5 mark in conference play with a 29-9 overall record. The Badgers move to 16-21 overall with a 9-9 record in WJCAC play.
GAME 1
The scoring opened in the bottom of the second when Kylian Bamberger launched a two-run home run to center field, scoring Wonjae Cho. The Broncos extended their lead in the third as Missael Maldonado Baez delivered a three-run blast, scoring Damwoo Kim and Joek Rivera Colon to make it 5-0.
NMMI's offense refused to let up in the fourth. Eliseo Ramirez reached on a walk and advanced to third, Joek Rivera Colon crushed a two-run homer to center, pushing the advantage to 7-0. Rivera remained the focal point of the offense through the final frame; in the bottom of the sixth, he followed a Damwoo Kim RBI groundout with his second home run of the day—a solo shot to center field—to cap off the 10-0 victory.
On the mound, Hyunwook Lee was exceptional, navigating through six innings of work while scattering hits and striking out six Badgers. Amarillo College threatened briefly in the top of the fifth after a C. McClure single and a double by J. McCloud, but Lee and the Bronco defense remained poised, snuffing out the rally with a fielder's choice.
With four home runs and a disciplined pitching performance, NMMI showcased a complete team effort to secure the decisive 10-0 win.
GAME 2
The Badgers wasted no time setting the tone, erupting for nine runs in the opening frame. The early onslaught was highlighted by an E Heyen two-run blast and a bases-clearing triple from C McClure, leaving NMMI scrambling to recover from an immediate 9-0 deficit.
Amarillo extended the lead to 12-0 in the second inning when A Chasak launched a three-run home run to left field. Despite the daunting gap, NMMI began a steady climb back into the contest. Alec Guevara put the home team on the board in the second with an RBI double, and Missael Maldonado Baez delivered a clutch two-run double in the third to cut into the lead.
The NMMI momentum peaked in the fifth inning. Sangwoon Jeon opened with a solo home run to center, followed shortly by a towering three-run shot from Missael Maldonado Baez, bringing the score to 12-7. However, the Badgers' bullpen, led by B Gurney and D Bowels, managed to settle the game and halt the comeback.
Amarillo College provided the finishing blow in the seventh inning. After loading the bases, B Carter connected on a grand slam to right field, pushing the lead to 17-7 and effectively sealing the win. While NMMI finished with double-digit hits, including a late single by Javier Yepiz, they were unable to overcome the Badgers' early power display.
UP NEXT
The Broncos close out the four-game series against Amarillo College tomorrow afternoon. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for noon at the NMMI Ballpark.