Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DODGE CITY, Kan. -- The Dodge City Community College baseball team had no problem hitting the ball hard in game two against Cloud County on Sunday.

The Conquistadors just had a difficult time finding the Cavalier Field grass instead of Thunderbird gloves.

Despite ripping nine hits, DC3 mustered just one run and fell to Cloud County 3-1 after winning the first game 5-1 to win the four-game set 3-1.

However, DC3's pitching gave the Conqs (15-6, 4-4) a chance to sweep the series Saturday after Matthew Perea's complete-game gem in game one and a solid start in game two from Cole Brandon.

But it was a lack of timely hitting that ultimately cost the Conqs against Cloud County (3-18, 1-7) in game two.

"I thought we at times hit the ball very well in game two," DC3 coach Phil Stephenson said. "The problem was we hit it right at them. In the first inning we had three hits and an error and we didn't score. ... When your first four hitters hit the ball right on the nose and you end up with three hits and two outs after that double play, that's tough.

"But that's also baseball sometimes."

DC3 looked like it might get something going in the eighth inning when Ricky Trammell led off the frame with a single and Jason Nichols walked. Colton Onstott, who hit two home runs Saturday, laced the first pitch he saw up the middle for what appeared to be a base hit.

However, the T-Bird shortstop was trying to keep Trammell close to second and didn't get back into position on the pitch - but it paid off as Onstott's laser found his glove for the first out. Colbey Madewell tried to bunt for a base hit next and was just a half step from beating it out (though he moved the runners to second and third) before Jake Pederson laced a ball on a line right to the center fielder for the third and final out.

Brandon got the loss, going 6.1 innings and giving up three runs on seven hits with a strikeout and a walk. Jeremy Hidalgo pitched the final 2.2 innings and surrendered just the one hit with three strikeouts.

Trammell and Madewell each finished the game going 2-for-3 for DC3.

Nick Wordekemper got the win for Cloud, going seven innings and giving up a run on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Cole Otto got the save, going the final two innings and giving up no runs and two hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

In game one, the Conqs got all the run support Perea needed with a three-run third inning after falling behind 1-0 in the top half of the frame.

The inning was set up when Ivan Gonzalez executed a hit-and-run with Madewell on first to put runners on the corners. Two batters later, Trammell hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the tying run before back-to-back RBI singles from Nichols and Onstott to push the lead to 3-1. Richard Fullerton added a two-run home run in the sixth to close out the DC3 scoring.

The left-hander Perea did the rest as the New Mexico State signee gave up a run on four hits with seven strikeouts and no walks as he improved to 4-1 on the season.

"We pitched the heck out of it today," Stephenson said. "Perea was great, Brandon was great and Hidalgo was great. We only gave up four runs on the whole day and we split. We are still just giving away too many at bats and swinging at too many first pitches we shouldn't be swinging at. Until we as hitters get that figured out more ... these things are going to happen.

Alex Torkelson got the loss for Cloud County in game one, going 2.2 innings and giving up three runs on three hits with four walks and two strikeouts.

DC3 travels to start a four-game series at Butler 1 p.m. Saturday.