DOUGLAS — The Cochise College baseball team closed the regular season Saturday with a split against Central Arizona College, winning game one 4-0 and falling in game two 9-6. The win earned Cochise the co-conference championship, along with Paradise Valley Community College.
The Apaches head to the NJCAA Region I Division I Tournament this week as the top seed and host South Mountain in a three-game series.
In the early game, Jordon West picked up the win for Cochise, going all seven innings and allowing just five hits and no walks while striking out four. Nate Stepna hit a solo home run in the first inning and Cochise added three more in the third on a double by Sean DeSoto that scored one and a single to center by Dan Hetzel that scored two.
The Apaches couldn’t catch up to Central in the late innings of the second game. Louis Boyd was 2 for 4 with a home run and DeSoto was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Tyler Fallwell took the loss.
The region semifinals are set for Thursday through Saturday. Games on Thursday and Friday start at 2 p.m. on the Douglas Campus. Saturday’s if-necessary matchup will being at noon. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids and students, and free for Cochise College students.