(Tucson, AZ) After a high scoring game filled with errors, the resilient Aztecs led by sophomore pitcher Alese Casper came back from deficits of 4-0 and 13-9 to pull out a gritty victory getttig timely hits including two homers by Vanessa Caldera and good fielding in the last two innings over Eastern Arizona College.
Alese Casper
Pima was looking for their second consecutive sweep of a double header at home as last week they took both games from Scottsdale College.
Coach Bekah Quiroz sent her ace to the circle Bianca (Guera) Castillo to face the power of the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters.
Castillo started off well as she struck out the first batter. After a shot off the glove of shortstop Janice Garcia, a stolen base and a two run jack over the left field fence Eastern was up quickly 2-0. Castillo settled down striking out the cleanup hitter for the second out and out of of the inning of a soft pop up to deep shortstop.
In the home half of the first inning, Caspar did it with the bat as she hit a sharp ground ball the handcuffed the third baseman and was safe. Amaya Turner trying to move the runner up, beat out a bunt that the third baseman was playing too far back. A force at third was followed by Vanessa Caldera hitting a grounder that was mishandled by the first baseman that loaded the bases. The second out was a strikeout by Alizea Corday. The rally fell short as McKenzie Judge filed out to center.
The Gila Monsters went quietly in their second at bats, but Pima put together a two out rally to score off Casper’single to right center sending home Samantha Angulo. Turner kept the inning going with a grounder through the shortstop’s legs to tie it up at 2-2 heading to the third inning.
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Eastern got their leadoff batter on with a single to right. The following batter hit a ground ball that pulled first baseman Devynn Marshall off the bag. An infield fly rule pop up gained the first out. Aztecs got out of the jam with a fly ball out by Turner .
Caldera smacked a line drive that short hopped the left center field fence to lead off the bottom of the third. Corday struck out, but Judge followed with a single to left putting runners at the corners. Hope Adams ripped the first pitch down the line in left to score Caldera. Another infield fly rule to deep shortstop by Garcia racked up the second out. Kelly Leach popped up to second to end the inning but the Aztecs got a big three runs to take the lead 3-2 headed to the fourth inning.
The Gila Monsters leadoff batter flied to center field. A shot to second baseman Judge went off her glove giving Eastern a runner. Castillo struck out the following hitter for the second out. A base on balls after a steal in which Garcia had the out but muffed the throw. The inning ended with two runners stranded on base on a line drive back to Castillo.
Through the first three innings, Eastern put runners in scoring position only to be denied by the Aztecs on timely strikeouts by Castillo.
Turner singled to left after the first out by a sparkling play up middle by the Gila Monster’s shortstop. Marshall followed with a liner to center putting Pima back in business. The inning ended on a bang bang play when Caldera hit the ball on the money that was snagged again by Eastern’s shortstop and doubled off the runner at second.
Eastern tied the game in the top of the fifth with a sharp grounder that Judge was out of place on and found its way into right field for the RBI. Judge fielded the next opportunity and got the second out. A fly ball to right fielder Angulo ended the inning.
After a ground out, Judge singled to right and promptly stole second with Adams at the plate. Judge advanced to third base on a passed ball as Adams walked. Judge was thrown out at home for the second out off a grounder to third. Garcia hit a ground ball deep in the hole at shortstop to leg out a single. Pima’s rally fell short as Angelo grounded out to the end the inning.
Eastern got their leadoff runner and second runner on base to post an immediate threat with no outs. The next batter up was out but a missed call by the infield umpire loaded the bases.
Pima ended up losing 5-3 to split the twin bill.
