Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Dodge City baseball returned to KJCCC West action opening a series against Cloud County and would play to a split for with the Thunderbirds in the first two games of the four-game set. 

The Conquistadors would drop game one 9-2 but bounce back in the second game with a 9-5 victory to move to 22-10 on the season and 7-3 in KJCCC action. The doubleheader split is the third straight doubleheader in the series that the teams have split. 

The series with Cloud County wraps up on Saturday, March 30th in Concordia with action starting at 1:00 pm. 

Game 1 – Lost 9-2 vs Cloud County
Both teams wouldn't waste any time to get on the board each scoring a run in the first inning to open the action. Cloud County belted a solo home run to open the game, but the Conqs would answer in the bottom of the first as Juan Rivera hit a double to open the inning and then Max Towchik brought him in on an RBI single. In the top of the third Cloud County grabbed the lead plating two runs and then would bat around in the fifth capitalizing on three walks, a hit batter, and three hits to score five runs and lead 8-1. Conqs would get on the board again in the bottom of the fifth but managed only one run and the Thunderbirds added another in the seventh to secure the 9-2 victory. 

The Conqs were held to five hits by Kevin Mannell a Mississippi State commit who was pitching for Cloud County. Rivera and Towchik paced the Conqs offense, as Rivera was 1-3 with a double, two runs scored, and a walk, and Towchik was 2-4. Joseph Dominguez had a double and Cooper Schneider had a hit. 

On the mound, Garret Carter made the start going four innings and recording six strikeouts, while Josh Nolte and Caden Norman each saw action. 

Game 2 – Won 9-5 vs Cloud County
Conqs got the party started early in game two getting on the board in the bottom of the first as Rivera led the action off with an infield single and would come around to score on a stolen base, balk, and wild pitch. Dominguez would then hit a triple and come in to score on a sac fly by Towchik to make it 2-0. The lead grew to 5-0 with three runs in the second as the Conqs batted around with the inning including a solo home run by Nick Mesquita and an RBI double from Towchik. Cloud County found a way onto the scoreboard in the fourth with a two-run home run and then belted another home run in the fifth as part of a three-run inning to even the game up at 5-5. It remained tied until the bottom of the seventh with the Conqs grabbing the lead back as Brian Hallum led the inning off with a double and with two outs Andrew Detlefsen blasted a two-run home run to give the Conqs a 7-5 lead. In the eighth, the Conqs added some insurance getting two more runs and in the top of the ninth Michael Lopez and the Conqs defense shut the door as the Conqs turned a double play to finish the game for a 9-5 win. 

Conqs pounded out 14 hits in the win with Dominguez spearheading the offense going 4-5 with a triple, double, two RBI, and run scored. Rivera added a 2-3 game with three runs scored and two walks, while Alex Galyean was 2-4 with two runs scored. Detlefsen finished 2-3 with a home run, two RBI, a run scored, and a hit by pitch. Hallum added a 1-2 showing with a double, run scored, and three walks. 

Bryce Chambers got a no-decision as the starter going 5.2 innings giving up five runs on five hits, two walks, and four hit batters but struck out eight. Luis Santiago earned the win in relief tossing 1.1 scoreless innings giving up just two walks and recording one strikeout. Lopez tossed the final two innings to earn the save giving no runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts.