(Phoenix, AZ) The Pima Community College baseball team (36-18, 21-15 in ACCAC) played its final ACCAC road doubleheader on Tuesday at South Mountain Community College (26-28, 14-22).
The Aztecs split with the Cougars while Yavapai College earned a sweep over Eastern Arizona College. Yavapai’s wins eliminated Pima from the NJCAA Region I, Division I Playoffs.
Sophomore Romeo Ballesteros (Salpointe Catholic HS) finished the day 6 for 8 with two RBIs and five runs scored. Freshman Hunter Faildo broke out his bat in the second game.
Game 1: South Mountain CC Cougars 8, Pima CC Aztecs 3
The Cougars scored six runs in the 3rd inning as the Aztecs rally was cut short.
The Aztecs loaded the bases in the 4th inning with no outs. Freshman Trent Kiraly drove in Ballesteros and sophomore Preston Clifford (Sabino HS) with an RBI single. With two outs, sophomore Fernando Loera hit an RBI single to score sophomore Emilio Corona.
Ballesteros finished the game 2 for 3 with a run scored while Kiraly went 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Loera was 1 for 3 with an RBI and Corona went 1 for 3 with a run.
Sophomore Bradon Zastrow took the loss as he pitched two and two-third innings giving up six runs (none earned) on three hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
PCC 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 5 3
SMCC 0 0 6 2 0 0 x 8 5 1
L – Zastrow (2-5). 2B – Ballesteros.
Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 17, South Mountain CC Cougars 2 (7 innings)
The Aztecs’ offense could not be contained in the second game as they scored in every inning except for the 4th and secured the run-rule win with 10 runs in the 7th.
The Aztecs hit four home runs in the 7th; two courtesy of Faildo, who hit a 2-run shot scoring sophomore Jose Enriquez to make it 10-2. In his next at-bat, he launched one to left field to cap off the inning. Kiraly hit a leadoff homer to make it 8-2 and sophomore Alec Acevedo (Nogales HS) hit his home run to left field to make it 16-2.
Ballesteros added a 2-run RBI single and Corona hit a 2-run RBI triple in the inning.
Faildo finished the game 4 for 5 with five RBIs and two runs scored while Ballesteros also went 4 for 5 with two RBIs and four runs scored.
Corona fell a home run short of the cycle as he had an RBI single in the 2nd and an RBI double in the 4th; going 3 for 5 with four RBIs and two runs. Clifford had RBI hits in the 1st and 6thinnings as he was a flawless 3 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs. Kiraly finished 1 for 5 with two RBIs and a run.
Sophomore Jaren Jackson picked up the win pitching six innings giving up two runs (none earned) on six hits with six strikeouts and one walk on 78 pitches.
PCC 1 1 1 0 3 1 (10) 17 19 2
SMCC 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 6 3
W – Jackson (6-2). 2B – Faildo, Ballesteros, Corona. 3B – Corona. HR – Faildo 2, Kiraly, Acevedo.
The Aztecs will close out the 2022 season on Saturday as they host Eastern Arizona College at the West Campus Aztec Baseball Field. First pitch is at noon.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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