Bulldogs sweep New Mexico Military Institute

By Fred Gray

The Clarendon College men’s baseball team, behind excellent pitching and thunderous bats, swept a four-game home stand last Friday, April 6, and Saturday, April 7.

In the first game, lefty Sam Ouellet got the win, pitching a complete game that was called early due to the ten-run rule. The Bulldogs dominated the game, winning 17 to 5, behind the strong pitching of Ouellet and unrelenting Bulldog bats.

In Friday’s second game, the Bulldogs won a nine-inning contest, 10 to 4, behind winning right-hand pitcher Jacob Gosselin-Deschesnes. Jacob Orem, the big right-handed relief pitcher from Oklahoma City came on in the seventh inning for the save. Once again, the Bulldog bats thundered in support of excellent pitching. These guys can hit!

Saturday’s games were played in gale-force winds that skipper Chris Joblin pleasantly called “baseball weather.” While Friday’s games were played in benign conditions, with a slight breeze from the south, Saturday’s hitters had to fight a mean wind from the north. Fly balls were an adventure, diving into the ground wounded-duck-like, and taking hard-right turns.

In the third game of the home stand, the Bulldogs eked-out a hard-fought 6 to 4 victory. Bulldog right-handed pitcher, Jorge Perez, pitched another complete game. The native of Jamaica, New York, pitched a steady, consistent game in extraordinarily poor conditions.

The Bulldog’s skipper wryly commented that even though it was “a tough day to play,” they pitched an excellent game. Joblin was pleased with his team’s efforts and was pleased that they hit the ball hard all day long. I’ve never watched them when they didn’t hit the ball hard. This team habitually knocks the cover off the ball, a la “The Natural,” with Robert Redford, one of the greatest baseball movies ever.

In the final game of the series, Bulldog ace left-handed pitcher, Scott Cone pitched nine-inning gem, shutting out the New Mexico Military Institute. It was a fitting end to an excellent weekend of exciting baseball.

The Bulldogs leave for a six-game road trip before returning home against Seward County Community College, Wednesday, April 18. They will close out the 2012 regular season with four games against Odessa College on April 4 and 5.