Big Bats Power Baseball to Doubleheader Sweep Against Otero
Colby baseball put together an explosive day at the plate on Tuesday, sweeping Otero College in a non-conference doubleheader in Colby. The Trojans racked up 30 runs across the two games, cruising to a 13-3 win in Game 1 before outslugging the Rattlers 13-9 in Game 2.
COLBY, Kan. - Colby baseball put together an explosive day at the plate on Tuesday (March 17), sweeping Otero College in a non-conference doubleheader in Colby. The Trojans racked up 30 runs across the two games, cruising to a 13-3 win in Game 1 before outslugging the Rattlers 13-9 in Game 2.
Game 1
Colby baseball used a dominant offensive performance and timely pitching to roll past Otero College, 13-3, in non-conference action on Tuesday afternoon.
Leading the way was Matthew Kesting, who delivered a huge day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, and four RBIs. His biggest swing came in the fourth inning, when he launched a three-run homer to center field to give the Trojans the lead for good.
Otero jumped out early, striking in the first inning on a two-run home run by Bynum. The Rattlers added another solo shot in the third to take a 3-1 lead.
Colby answered in the second inning when Carter Graham connected on a solo home run to center, cutting into the deficit. The Trojans then took full control in the fourth, erupting for five runs on four hits. Kesting's three-run blast highlighted the inning and flipped the game in Colby's favor, 6-3.
The Trojans put the game away in the fifth with another offensive surge, scoring six runs on seven hits. Jayden Scotty drove in two with a double, Chris Luke added an RBI single, Matt Murray doubled home a run, Kesting picked up another RBI with a double, and Karson Cassidy capped the inning with a run-scoring single.
Colby finished with 17 hits on the afternoon, with Kesting and Scotty each collecting three. Brooks, Murray, Cassidy, and Graham all added multiple hits as the Trojans showcased depth throughout the lineup.
On the mound, Tyson Mosenteen earned the win in relief, tossing two scoreless innings while allowing no hits and striking out three. Jake Lentz added a scoreless frame out of the bullpen, and Graham got the start, working three innings with two strikeouts.
Defensively, Colby was flawless, committing no errors, while Scotty led the team with seven chances behind the plate.
With the win, the Trojans used a balanced attack and explosive middle innings to secure a convincing victory at home.
Game 2
Colby rode a power-packed offensive performance to a 13-9 win over Otero College on Tuesday, completing a sweep of the non-conference doubleheader in a high-scoring battle.
Charlie Langford led the charge, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs. The sophomore infielder delivered long balls in both the second and sixth innings, helping fuel a 16-hit attack for the Trojans.
Otero came out swinging early, plating three runs in the first inning behind a solo home run from Duran and a two-run single by Calderon. The Rattlers added two more in the second on another homer from Duran, jumping out to a 5-2 lead.
Colby answered in a big way in the bottom half of the second. Nolan Hertzke started the rally with a solo shot to center before Jackson Tjart drove in a run with a single. Langford then capped the inning with a two-run homer to center, giving the Trojans a 6-5 advantage.
The Trojans continued to build momentum, adding a run in the third on an RBI single from Chase Kessler and another in the fourth to extend the lead. In the fifth, Hertzke struck again with his second home run of the game, while Tjart added another RBI to push the lead further.
Colby broke things open in the sixth, scoring three more runs. Langford led off with his second homer of the day, Callum Thomson followed with a solo shot of his own, and Jake Brooks added an RBI single to make it 13-6.
Otero made one final push in the seventh, highlighted by a three-run homer from Fujino, but the Trojans' early offensive explosion proved too much to overcome.
Jaxon Nielsen earned the win in relief, delivering 2.2 innings of shutout baseball without allowing a hit. Brody Torkelson provided a steady middle relief outing, striking out three over two innings, while Grant Myers closed out the game.
At the plate, Tjart and Langford each collected three hits, while Hertzke added two home runs and two RBIs. Thomson and Isaiah Sadorus also chipped in multi-hit performances as Colby's lineup produced runs throughout the game. Despite the back-and-forth scoring, Colby remained sharp defensively, committing no errors in the contest.
With the sweep, the Trojans showcased both their offensive firepower and depth across the lineup, combining for 33 hits and seven home runs on the day. Colby will look to carry that momentum forward as they return to conference play later this week against No. 6 Cloud County.
