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Luna, Trinidad State split series
Luna Community College baseball moved its win total into the double digits over the weekend, splitting a four-game road series at Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad, Colo.
Sunday’s game one was knotted up at 5-5 before a solo shot in the top of the fifth shifted control to the Rough Riders. Luna built its lead to 9-6 and held off a Trojan rally to score a 9-8 victory.
Trinidad State pulled away a bit for a 6-1 advantage in game two and allowed just one more run in prevailing 6-2.
Monday’s game three saw the host Trojans jump out to a 4-3 lead. But a two-out rally for the Riders produced the tying and go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh, giving Luna a 6-4 edge. The Riders went on to a 9-4 win.
TSJC raced to a 3-0 head start in the finale. Luna tied it and threatened to take the lead but stranded some base runners in the middle innings. The Trojans went on to win 11-3, improving their record to 21-20 overall, 12-14 in conference.
Luna’s softball team got the weekend going with an improved effort Saturday against a Trinidad State program that has emerged as one of the best in the region.
The Rough Riders tied game one 2-2 and used effective defense to keep most of the game close. TSJC scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth, but it stayed tight until the next frame, when the Trojans used a big inning to put the contest away, 10-2.
Trinidad State clamped down with its own pitching and defense to take the next two games 12-0 and 11-1.
In Saturday’s finale, Luna put up a battle in a 14-5 defeat. The Riders led 2-0 through one inning and it was tied 5-5 midway through the fifth.
Trinidad State is a robust 25-9 overall and 18-4 in conference – with a 17-1 home record.
Luna baseball (10-14, 7-9), coached by T.C. Nusser and assistant Harry Estep, will close the regular season with an eight-game homestand at Brandt Park over the next two weekends. Lamar Community College is scheduled to visit Saturday and Sunday, April 24-25, and Otero Junior College follows on Saturday and Sunday, May 1-2. First pitch each day is set for noon.
Luna softball (1-5, 1-11), coached by Steve Wallace and assistant Thomas Royder, is scheduled to wrap its regular season vs. Otero on April 30 and May 1.