Apaches drop two games to Mesa on the road

MESA, Ariz. --- Cochise Baseball travelled to Mesa yesterday afternoon carrying an eight game winning streak and looking to gain momentum heading into the final month of the regular season. The Apaches visited the Thunderbirds of Mesa Community College who had recently garnered an upset of the No. 2 team in Division 1 Central Arizona. 

Game 1: Cochise 1, Mesa 4

In Game 1, Cochise was out-hit by the T-Birds and fell short 1-4. Cochise got on the board first in the third inning after sophomore outfielder Pablo Garcia hit a sacrifice fly scoring a run. Mesa responded in the bottom half of the third to even the game up at one. Mesa scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning off of Cochise starting pitcher Mathis Nayral who was pulled from the game and relieved by Luis Diaz. Nayral allowed eight hits and four runs over five innings, striking out two and walking none. Offensively, freshman Francisco Laya went 2-for-3 for Cochise to lead the Apaches. 

Game 2: Cochise 0, Mesa 6

The Apaches and Thunderbirds met for the final time of the season yesterday afternoon, where Cochise could not seem to get things going off of Mesa pitching, only collecting three hits in Game 2 and falling 6-0. Mesa got on the board in the third inning scoring two off of Cochise starting pitcher Tyson Noel. The lefty surrendered four hits and four runs over four innings, striking out three and walking one. Olmedo Quezada, Alejandro Vanegas, and Alex Figueroa all threw in relief for the Apaches. Garcia, Kieran Gaffney, and George Hogan each collected one hit. 

Up Next..

Cochise Baseball (29-15,16-10) will try to bounce back in a critical road doubleheader with Division 1 foe South Mountain Community College (22-19,14-12) who is right behind the Apaches in the DI standings. Doubleheader at SMCC is scheduled for Saturday, April 6th at noon.