PHOENIX — The Cochise College baseball team split its doubleheader against Gateway Community College on Saturday, dropping game one 3-2 and bouncing back to win game two 5-4.
In the first game, Louis Boyd went 3 for 4 at the plate with an RBI and the Apaches outhit Gateway 10-7. Xavier Altamirano took the loss for Cochise, allowing three runs, a walk and striking out six in six innings.
In the second game, starting pitcher Kade Wagner held Gateway scoreless through seven innings and Cochise took a one-run lead in the second inning on an error that allowed Jake Luna to score.
The Apaches tacked on three more in the top of the eighth on an RBI double by Jayson Hicks, who went 3 for 5 in the game, followed by an RBI single by Francisco Silva that scored Trey Reineke and Hicks.
Gateway responded with three of its own in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single, fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly. Cochise scored another in the top of the ninth on a bases-loaded walk, then held off Gateway’s attempt to rally in the bottom of the ninth.
Wagner earned the win for Cochise, going seven innings and allowing two runs on three hits and no walks while striking out seven.
The Apaches improved to 19-15 overall and 8-10 in ACCAC play as they head back home to the Douglas Campus for a noon doubleheader against Chandler-Gilbert on Tuesday. Admission is free to all regular-season home games.