Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Dodge City baseball jumped out of KJCCC action for some early week non-conference contests on the road as they took on Otero in a doubleheader in Colorado. 

The Conquistadors would snag their 27th win of the season in game one winning 8-7 but would drop game two 12-6 to split the doubleheader. The Conqs with the split move to 27-17 on the season. 

The Conqs return to KJCCC play on Thursday, April 18th when they take on Garden City on the road to open a four-game series with the Broncbusters. The series will transition to Dodge City on Saturday, April 20th. 

Game 1 – Won 8-7 at Otero
Looking to get back in the win column after a tough series against Hutchinson the Conqs would use late offense to snag a road win over Otero. The Conqs would get on the board in the top of the third as Brady Henke got on base via a double and scored on a sac fly by Juan Rivera. The Conqs lead disappeared in the bottom of the fifth as Otero belted a grand slam and a two-run home run to score six and lead 6-1. In the top of the sixth, the Conqs would push back making it a one-run game at 6-5 behind four runs. An RBI double by Nick Gray and a two-run home run by Jaxen Derry highlighted the sixth for the Conqs. In the top of the seventh, the Conqs grabbed the lead going up 8-6 behind a two RBI single from Carter Olson and RBI single by Gray. Otero didn't go away quietly opening the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back hits and then would score a run to draw within one. The Rattlers of Otero would not get any closer as they would strand the tying run at second as Josh Nolte struck out the final batter of the game to secure the Conqs 8-7 victory. 

Rivera, Jordan Rodriguez, and Gray each had a multi-hit game for the Conqs, while eight of the nine batters in the lineup had a hit in the win. Rivera was 2-3 with a run scored and RBI, Rodriguez was 2-2 with runs scored, a double, and a walk, and Gray was 2-3 with a run scored, two RBI, a walk, and a double. 

On the mound, Connor Olson got the start and tossed a solid four innings giving up two runs on five hits and struck out five. Nolte finished out the contest by tossing the final 2.1 innings and earned the win. 

Game 2 – Lost 12-6 at Otero 
It was late offense again that was the deciding factor in game two of the doubleheader just like the first game, but it was Otero with the late runs to grab the win. Otero grabbed the initial lead with a run in the bottom of the first, but the Conqs responded quickly with four in the top of the second. Otero would tally a run in the bottom of the second and two more in the third to even the game up at 4-4. In the top of the fifth, the lead returned to the Conqs behind a pair of runs highlighted by an RBI double by Peter Tassler. In the bottom of the fifth Otero snatched the lead back plating six runs and then adding two in the sixth as the Conqs were unable to score the rest of the way falling 12-6 to split the doubleheader. 

Cooper Schneider paced the Conqs offensively going 3-3 with a run scored, while Joseph Dominguez was 2-3 with a run scored and a walk. 

Six different Conqs saw action on the mound highlighted by Torin Cavanuagh who tossed a scoreless inning with three strikeouts.