(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College baseball team received accolades from the ACCAC Conference and NJCAA Region I for its play during the regular season as five Aztecs were selected All-ACCAC and two were named All-Region I, Division I.
Sophomore infielder Preston Clifford (Sabino HS) was named first team All-ACCAC and first team All-Region I, Division I. He batted .379 in 54 games played with 177 at-bats. He tied the team lead with 56 runs scored and led with 35 walks. Clifford was second on the team with 46 RBIs and 22 steals. He had 14 extra base hits and posted a fielding percentage of .865.
Sophomore outfielder Emilio Corona (San Luis Obispo HS, CA) was selected second team All-ACCAC and second team All-Region I, Division I. He led the NJCAA in homers and RBIs and was tied for the lead in runs during the first month of the season. He finished second in the ACCAC conference with 13 home runs and third with 60 RBIs. Corona played in 55 games with a .346 batting average. He led the team with 29 extra base hits and was tied with 56 runs scored. Corona was second on the team with 182 at-bats as he also drew 25 walks and had 15 stolen bases. He also posted a fielding percentage of .967.
Sophomore LHP Jaren Jackson (V. Sue Cleveland HS, NM) was named second team All-ACCAC. He led the team with 65.2 innings pitched and went 6-2 with a 2.88 ERA in 13 appearances. He threw three complete-games and gave up 21 earned runs and 22 walks with 58 strikeouts. Jackson also averaged 7.95 strikeouts per nine innings.
Sophomore Romeo Ballesteros (Salpointe Catholic HS) was chosen second team All-ACCAC. He batted .365 in 53 games with 167 at-bats, 55 runs scored, 18 extra base hits, 29 RBIs, 20 walks and 12 steals. Ballesteros also had a .907 fielding percentage.
Freshman infielder/utility player Gage Mestas(Durango HS, CO) was named second team All-ACCAC. Pima’s lead-off hitter led the team with 202 at-bats, 71 hits and 31 stolen bases. Mestas also scored 52 runs, had 34 RBIs, 19 walks and eight extra-base hits. He posted a .936 fielding percentage.
The Aztecs finished eighth in the NJCAA with 564 hits and ninth with 1,713 at-bats.
Pima closed out the season with a 38-18 record (most wins since 1991) and had a 27-4 record at the West Campus Aztec Baseball Field part of the Chapman Automotive Sports Complex.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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