Protecting Home Field

The Plainsmen baseball team would host Region IX Conference opponent, the Otero Rattlers.  This would mark the opening game to for conference play for the men, so they wanted to make sure they got out on the right foot.  The Rattlers are a solid ball club, and NJC knew that if they game them any light, they would take advantage of it, which could cause trouble for the Plainsmen.  The Rattlers would draw first blood in the top of two, as they would go up 1-0.  The Plainsmen wouldn't get the game back even until the bottom of three, as they would get one of their own to tie it up 1-1.  The Rattlers would strike back in the top of four to get the lead back.  In the bottom of five, the Plainsmen would get a pair of runs with Easton Adler and Keegan Meyn getting an RBI a piece; NJC leads 3-2.  The rest of the game would be a close game as both teams would play solid defensively, but Northeastern would end up on top getting the victory.

With the Plainsmen breaking the ice for the win, they knew they had to keep their heads level and keep trucking into game two.  The Rattlers were unhappy with the results of the first game, which would show by taking the 3-0 lead after two and a half innings.  The Plainsmen would tie the game in the bottom of three with NJC scoring three runs.  In the top of four however, Otero would answer the call and get two runs, regaining the lead 5-3.  With the Rattlers having the lead, the Plainsmen would be able to get the sticks rolling in the bottom of five as they would put on a showing by scoring seven runs, taking the 10-5 lead.  The rest of the game, NJC would hold down the fort and eventually seal the victory winning game two.

The third and final game would be a full nine-inning game.  The Plainsmen knew that the Rattlers would now know who their big hitters were and what selection of pitches to throw them.  That however would not phase Northeastern as each inning would have their players who would shine.  The Plainsmen would take an early 2-0 lead after the end of one, and would keep it through the end of the second.  In the top of three, Otero would time up the pitcher and get three runs in and take the 3-2 lead.  The Plainsmen would then slowly start regaining their lead in the fourth and fifth by getting one each inning, to then take the 4-3 lead.  In the top of seven, the Plainsmen would find themselves with the error bug, resulting in the Rattlers taking the 5-4 lead.  The next two innings would be when NJC started to settle down and put themselves in a good position by scoring four in the seventh, and two in the eighth.  The Plainsmen would field the ball much better and would hold Otero scoreless in the last two innings.

On the weekend, Quin Tomasino would have a huge series by accumulating nine RBI's with eight of them coming in one game, as well as compiling seven hits (two of which were home runs). 

The Plainsmen's entire month of March will consist of them being on the road, before returning back at Plainsmen Park on March 30 as they again host the Rattlers.