HENDERSON, Nev. – The Cochise College baseball team opened its season over the weekend with a 1-3 showing at the fifth annual Coyote Border Battle in Henderson, Nev.
The Apaches started with a pair of losses Friday, first against the host team, College of Southern Nevada, 13-12, then to Salt Lake Community College 8-1.
Starting pitchers Zach Rodgers, a freshman, in the opener and sophomore ace Braulio Hernandez in the afternoon game were the victims of defensive lapses behind them. Six of the seven runs Rodgers allowed in three innings and five of the seven Hernandez surrendered were unearned.
Cochise rebounded on Saturday with a 5-4 victory against College of Southern Idaho behind six strong innings of pitching from sophomore starter Bubba Blau and an improved defensive effort.
Early on, though, the Apaches showed flashbacks of Friday’s performances. Blau committee two errors, allowing three CSI runs to cross the plate. But a two-run single by Zach Cogan in the fifth put Cochise up 4-3, and freshman Jacob Potts went the final three innings for the save.
However, the true game-saving play was made in right field by freshman Francisco Salas, who made the final out in a diving catch at the wall with the tying run on base.
“We were a lot better defensively,” Cochise head coach Todd Inglehart told the Sierra Vista Herald. “Other than those two blips by Blau, we were flawless, and our pitching was quite a bit better today.”
Cochise concluded the tournament with a 3-1 loss against Southern Idaho on Sunday morning.
Next, Cochise will play its home opener at noon Friday, Feb. 3, at the Douglas Campus in a doubleheader against El Paso Community College. The teams square off again Saturday in another noon doubleheader. Admission to games is free.