The Cochise College baseball team won five of six games this week during the annual Phoenix Area Juco Spring Classic.
Cochise started Tuesday with an 8-2 win over Pima in Tucson. On Wednesday, the Apaches defeated Northeastern Junior College of Colorado 8-2 before falling to Scottsdale 3-1 in the afternoon. Cochise bounced back to win both games of Thursday’s doubleheader against Chandler-Gilbert, 13-2 and 9-8, before closing the week with an 8-7 win over Western Nebraska Community College on Friday.
Against Pima, Nick Borowski pitched seven strong innings to get the win, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out seven. At the plate, the Apaches combined for 11 hits and nine walks.
Cochise rallied late to beat Northeastern Junior College after falling behind 4-2 in the fifth. The Apaches scored three in the seventh on a two-run triple by Borowski, who then scored on a passed ball, and four in the eighth on a groundout by Louis Boyd that scored Nate Stepna, an RBI single by Adam De La Cruz that scored Jackson Overlund, and a line drive single through the middle by Darick Hall that brought home both Dan Hetzel and De La Cruz.
Scottsdale scored three runs in the fifth inning and Cochise’s run came in the top of the ninth, thanks to a solo home run by Hetzel. Charlie Ameer went the complete game for Cochise, giving up two earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two.
The Apaches routed Chandler-Gilbert in their first matchup of the day. Hetzel was 3 for 4, including a home run, with four RBIs and two runs scored. De La Cruz was 4 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored, and Miguel Othon was 2 for 5 with four RBIs. Cochise combined for 19 hits and Jordon West went the complete seven innings, giving up just one earned run on six hits and no walks while striking out two.
In game two, Cochise rallied with five in the top of the eighth to take an 8-5 lead, but Chandler-Gilbert answered in the bottom of the inning with three to tie it. Overload’s single to left scored De La Cruz in the top of the 11th and the Apaches held on for the win. At the plate, Hetzel was 4 for 5 with two RBIs.
In the final game of the week, the Apaches were up 8-0 and survived a two-run sixth and five-run seventh by Western Nebraska to hang on for the win. Boyd was 2 for 4 with two doubles, and Borowski had three RBIs for Cochise.
The wins improve Cochise’s record to 23-7 overall this season. Next, the Apaches travel to Packard Stadium to face the Langley Blaze in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Monday, and they return to conference play Tuesday with a noon doubleheader at Glendale.
Cochise is back at home Saturday, March 21, for a noon doubleheader against Paradise Valley. Admission is free to all regular-season home games.