Apaches Fall to Arizona Western in 13-Inning Region 1 Playoff Battle

Region 1 Tournament
May 7, 2026

HENDERSON, Nev. ­— ­The Cochise College Apaches battled through 13 innings Thursday morning in the opening round of the NJCAA Region 1 Baseball Tournament, but ultimately fell 5–4 to Arizona Western College in a marathon postseason matchup in Henderson, Nevada.

With the loss, Cochise moves into the elimination bracket and will face the loser of Thursday afternoon's matchup between #1 Southern Nevada and #4 Central Arizona College on Friday, May 8 at 10:00 a.m. MST .

Extra-Inning Thriller in Henderson

The postseason opener turned into an instant classic, with both teams locked in a tense pitchers' duel that stretched into the 13th inning.

Arizona Western struck first in the opening inning when Luis Angulo delivered an RBI single to give the Matadors a 1–0 lead.

Cochise answered in the fourth inning with its biggest offensive push of the day. After George McCarroll and Landon Blais reached base, Shiryu Sato ripped a two-run triple to left-center field, giving the Apaches a 2–1 advantage. Moments later, Gavin Mesa added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3–1.

The Apaches carried that advantage deep into the game before Arizona Western slowly chipped away.

The Matadors plated a run in the seventh inning on a bases-loaded walk, then tied the game in dramatic fashion in the ninth inning when Trace Garrison stole home to make it 3–3.

Both teams remained scoreless through extra innings before Arizona Western broke through in the top of the 13th. A pair of unearned runs crossed the plate following a defensive miscue and a wild pitch, giving the Matadors a 5–3 lead.

Cochise attempted one final rally in the bottom half of the inning. Landon Blais delivered an RBI double to score George McCarroll and pull the Apaches within one, but Arizona Western recorded the final out to secure the win.

Pitching Duel Headlines Opener

Despite the loss, Cochise received outstanding performances on the mound.

Collin Smith started and battled through 6.1 innings, allowing two runs while striking out seven.

Out of the bullpen, Noah Miller was dominant, tossing 5.2 innings of one-run relief while striking out nine and holding Arizona Western hitless during his appearance.

Together, Cochise pitchers combined for 19 strikeouts in the contest.

Arizona Western starter Diego Alcala also delivered a strong outing, striking out nine over eight innings before the Matadors bullpen closed the game late.

Offensive Highlights

Cochise finished with five hits in the contest.

The Apaches continued to battle throughout the afternoon despite the extended game and high-pressure postseason atmosphere.

Up Next

Cochise will now face an elimination game Friday morning in Henderson.

Friday, May 8
10:00 a.m. MST
Henderson, Nevada
vs. #1 Southern Nevada 

The winner will continue advancing in the Region 1 Tournament, while the loser's season will come to an end.