Cochise Baseball opens 2025 season dropping two of three to CSN
DOUGLAS, Ariz. --- Cochise College Baseball kicked off its 2025 season on Friday, hosting The College of Southern Nevada for a three-game series over the weekend. The Apaches will showcase some new faces on the field this year, rostering 13 freshmen. Key returners for Cochise include outfielder Fransisco Laya, catcher Hadley Smith, and infielder Kenneth Rhein.
Friday, January 24th (Game 1): Cochise 0, Southern Nevada 1
The Apaches found themselves on the losing end of a pitchers' duel in their afternoon season opener. Sophomore Mathis Nayral was tasked with the Opening Day start and delivered six innings of one-run ball while striking out 6 in the process. Freshmen Daniel Gomez followed with a scoreless inning of relief. An RBI double in the 5th inning by CSN provided the game's lone score. Tyson Owens and Kenneth Rhein provided the only two hits Cochise could afford in their 1-0 loss.
Friday, January 24th (Game 2): Cochise 14, Southern Nevada 6
In a big turnaround from Game 1 of the doubleheader, Cochise brought across 14 in their decisive win over CSN. Sophomore Alejandro Vanegas got the start on the bump in game two and turned over four innings, allowing four hits, one earned, and striking out three. Quezada, Ishida, and Collin Smith each made an appearance in relief. The Apaches got out to an early lead in the first off an RBI single from Tyson Owens, who also later came across on an error. Cochise added on in the 4th, bringing in six more runs, including a pair of knocks from T.J Shaw and Sawyer Fech that brought in two runs each. The Apaches were led by Fech who finished the game going 3 for 4 with three RBI's and a walk.
Saturday, January 25th: Cochise 4, Southern Nevada 6
In a game fought to the end, the Apaches dropped the series' finale in 13 innings on Saturday afternoon. The first score of the ballgame did not come until the 5th and began to look Southern Nevada's way until Cochise began to find their way back in the late innings. A Tyson Owens opposite field three-run home run in the 8th, followed by an RBI single by Fransisco Laya in the 9th, had the game all tied up at four going into extras. After a hit-by-pitch and a couple of defensive miscues by Cochise, CSN added two runs in the top half of the 13th that held up to win it 6-4. Jorge Cardenas led the Apaches, going 3 for 4, coming off the bench as a pinch hitter. Sam Pitts got the start for Cochise and went four and two-third innings to go along with four strikeouts. Martins, Guerra, Gomez, Guzman, and Pimentel all relieved across the 13 innings.
Up Next...
Cochise Baseball (1-2, 1-2) will visit Community Christian College (0-3, 0-3) on Friday, January 31st, for a doubleheader and again on Saturday, February 1st, for the finale beginning at 3:30 P.M. MST in Palm Springs, California.
(Submitted by: Jacob Saavedra, Cochise Sports Information Assistant)