Badgers, Cavaliers split thrilling series at Hodgetown

Securing a pair of wins over a team ranked in the top 10 for the first time in program history? Check.

Having two walk-off victories in back-to-back games? Check.

David De Hoyos hitting two home runs and a .455 average in his Badger debut? Check.

The Amarillo College baseball team went toe-to-toe with eighth-ranked Johnson County Community College to begin their 2024 season at Hodgetown Stadium on Saturday and Sunday.

The Badgers split a four-game series against the Cavaliers as Amarillo College won game two on Saturday and game three on Sunday in walk-off fashion.

"The biggest takeaway from the weekend is how we defended and pitched. That's the mark of a good club and a championship team," Badger head coach Brandon Rains said. "Overall, it was a good weekend and we have a lot of good things to build on."

Redshirt freshman outfielder Chris Benavidez hit a hard groundball past the Johnson County shortstop in the eighth inning of game two on Saturday to give the Badgers a 7-6 victory following a 4-3 defeat in game one.

"I saw a slider on the pitch before and I was a little ahead of it. I stayed back on the next one and made good contact," Benavidez said of his gaming-winning hit. "I'm proud of the guys. That's a team win."

The Blinn Community College transfer and leadoff hitter for the Badgers ended the four-game homestand with a .357 batting average, five hits, one double, one stolen base, and two runs scored.

After a pair of extra inning games on Saturday, the Badgers walk-off encore commenced with a David De Hoyos home run to end game three and take a 2-1 series lead via a 4-1 final score. The three-run blast was De Hoyos' second home run of the series as the San Antonio native hit a solo shot in the game one on Saturday.

"It was an incredible game and well defended and pitched by both clubs," Rains said. "David had one of the hardest hits I've seen in a long time. It was a very impressive performance by him."

De Hoyos tallied a team-best .455 batting average, going 5-of-11 at the plate. The 6-foot-3 third baseman filled the stat sheet during the four-game series, recording two doubles, five runs, and four RBIs.

Johnson County defeated AC 13-1 in a five-inning contest via run rule to conclude play on Sunday.

Amarillo College is scheduled to host Garden City Community College for a four-game series this upcoming weekend. The Badgers will begin play at noon on Saturday and Sunday. The second game of each doubleheader starts 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest.

Game 4 Summary

Johnson County scored two runs in the first inning and seven in the second en route to a 13-1 run-rule victory.

The Cavaliers outhit the Badgers 13-3 in the contest.

Benavidez, Aidan Young, and Jan Avila tallied one hit apiece for the Badgers.

Longmont, Colorado native and freshman transfer pitcher Evan Pitcher threw the final three innings and recorded two strikeouts and no walks.