ROSWELL, New Mexico - After getting their season off to a 3-1 start last weekend, the Dodge City Community College baseball team has hit a snag with a 16-9 and 6-3 loss to New Mexico Military Institute at the NMMI Ballpark in Roswell, New Mexico on Saturday, February 25th. 

DC3 drops one game under .500 at 3-4 overall while the Broncos improved to 9-6 after winning their third consecutive game. 

A shaky start on the mound for both squads would start the twin bill, as the first four Conquistador batters would reach base to start game one. After singles by Cade Engle and Brayden Cook, Jake Pederson and Richard Fullerton would both be hit by pitches before Dauson Tate would hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Cook. Jon Coss and Tallon Schaller would deliver the big first-inning blows with a double by Coss and triple by Schaller to put the score at 5-0 after half an inning. Not to be outdone, New Mexico Military would respond with four runs on five hits to close within one in what would a wild first inning of play. Both starting pitchers would then settle into a groove for the next inning and a half before the Broncos would push across two runs on just a single hit in the bottom of the third to take their first lead of the game . Engle would leadoff the top of the fourth with a single before a Cook double would drive in Engle to tie the game at six heading into the bottom of the fourth as the Broncos would knock starting pitcher Tommy Knowlton out of the game by putting up four runs in their half of the fourth. DC3 would not get anything cooking in the fifth before another three runs by New Mexico Military extended their lead to 13-6 and well in control heading into the final two innings of play. Dodge City would take advantage of relief pitcher Jeremy De La Garza coming into the game by pushing two runs with one out in the top of the sixth before Dustin Renfroe would come to relieve De La Garza. DC3 would manage just one run of off Renfroe to make the score 13-9 before the Broncos would respond with three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth. the Conquistadors would get one last shot in the seventh, but could only manage one base-runner before dropping the opening game of the day. 

Engle and Cook would account for six of DC3's 10 hits in the game while also scoring four runs while Fullerton would go one for two and drive in three RBI's. Hayden Davey (0-1) would take the loss on the mound, throwing just two-thirds of an inning in relief for Knowlton while giving up two runs on two hits. Gavin Gifford would close out the game pitching, throwing the final two and a third innings and striking out two. 

Runs would prove to be more valuable in game two, as the Broncos would draw first blood in the bottom of the second after a leadoff single and walk was followed by a sacrifice bunt and RBI groundout to second base. Engle and Cook would connect again to produce the first DC3 run of the game as Engle would get things going with a double before Cook would drive him home on an RBI single. Fullerton would produce a one-out groundout to bring home Cook and give the Conquistadors a 2-1 lead as Dodge City would leave two runners aboard to end the inning. The Conquistadors lead did not last long as three of NMMI's first four batters in the bottom of the third would manage to reach base before a balk and RBI groundout gave the Broncos a 3-2 lead. Another balk call would bring home the third run of the inning to make the score 4-3 as DC3 would find themselves in another one-run hole. 

Any momentum Dodge City tried to build up in the fourth was quickly shut down after Isaak Snyder would be caught stealing second and Engle would fly out to end the inning. Two runs on three hits and one error would push the New Mexico Military lead to 6-2 going to the fifth, where the Conquistadors would go 1-2-3 and see their opportunities start to dwindle on a comeback. With runners on second and third and no one out in the bottom of the fifth, DC3 would manage to get out of the jam with a flyout, throwout double-play to get the Bronco runner at the plate on a potential sacrifice fly before a fielder's choice would end the inning with no damage done. Two more runners would be stranded in the top of the sixth as once again Dodge City would see their potential threat to cut into the NMMI lead would be thwarted with the Conquistadors only able to produce a single-run in the seventh. 

Schaller and Engle would each go two-for-three in game two with Engle scoring two runs while Cook, Pederson, and Fullerton driving in the only DC3 runs of the game. After going three and two-thirds innings on the mound, Charlie Vizcaya (0-1) would take the loss by giving up five runs on five hits and issuing three walks while recording two K's. Eric Lindsay tossed the final 2.1 innings, giving up only one run while facing a total of 11 batters. 

Dodge City will try to avoid the four-game sweep to New Mexico Military with a single nine-inning game tomorrow starting at 12 p.m. (MST).