Baseball

Drake picks up two saves as Aztecs Baseball wins 12th straight

JT Drake/Photo by Ben Carbajal

(Tucson, AZ)  The Pima Community College baseball team (30-8, 17-5 in ACCAC) picked up its 30th win of the season on Tuesday in an ACCAC doubleheader sweep against Chandler-Gilbert Community College (20-16, 10-12).

The No. 20 ranked Aztecs have now won 12 straight games. This is the fourth straight season that the Aztecs have produced a double digit winning streak.

Sophomore Andrew Stucky (Canyon del Oro HS) finished the day going 3 for 4 with an RBI, two runs scored and three doubles. Sophomore Wyatt Hardy got the win in a relief appearance and sophomore Matt Cornelius picked up the win in the second game. Freshman closer JT Drake snagged another two saves to his national-leading total.

Game 1: (20) Pima CC Aztecs 5, Chandler-Gilbert CC Coyotes 2

The Aztecs rallied to tie the game in the 5th inning and took the lead for good with three runs in the 6th.

Down 2-1 in the 5th inning with two outs, Stucky came through to tie the game with an RBI double to score sophomore Luis Garcia (Salpointe Catholic HS), who had singled to reach base.

The Aztecs loaded the bases with one out in the 6th. Sophomore Joey Adge was hit by a pitch, which brought in sophomore Braedon Mondeau (Cienega HS). Garcia followed with a two-run RBI single to drive in sophomore Rocco Gump (Seton Catholic HS) and pinch runner Elijah Reeves (Marana HS).

Stucky finished the game 2 for 3 with an RBI and two doubles. Garcia went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Gump was 2 for 3 with a run. Faildo hit an RBI single in the 1stinning and finished 1 for 3 with an RBI. Adge was 1 for 2 with an RBI.

Hardy picked up the win (2-0) in relief as he got the final two outs of the 6th inning on four pitches. Sophomore Jaeden Swanberg (Salpointe Catholic HS) didn’t get a decision as he pitched five and one-third innings, giving up two runs (two earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Drake got his first save of the day, after he pitched the 7th inning getting one strikeout.

CGCC   0 1 1 0 0 0 0   2 7 0
PCC       1 0 0 0 1 3 x   5 9 1

W – Hardy (2-0). S – Drake (9). 2B: Stucky 2. SB: Avila.

Game 2: (20) Pima CC Aztecs 4, Chandler-Gilbert CC Coyotes 3

The Aztecs produced enough offense and got two home runs as they held off a Chandler-Gilbert rally to complete the sweep.

Freshman Benji Cazares (Tucson Magnet HS) put the Aztecs on the board with an RBI single in the 1st inning to score Stucky, who had doubled two batters previous.
Freshman David Shackelford added to Pima’s lead at 2-0 with a solo home run to center field in the 2nd inning.

Cazares reached on an error and Mondeau singled to open the 4th inning. Freshman Ruben Castro (Tucson Magnet HS) hit a sacrifice-bunt to move the runners. Gump grounded out but scored Cazares to make it 3-0.

Photo -Ben Carbajal

The Coyotes scored two runs in the 6th inning but the Aztecs countered in the bottom half of the inning with Mondeau’s solo home run to make it 4-2.

The Coyotes scored one in the 8th inning but Drake came back out on the hill in the 9th and got three straight flyouts on four pitches to close the game.

Stucky finished 1 for 1 with a run and two walks while Mondeau was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Shackelford went 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run and Cazares closed out the game going 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run. Gump was 1 for 3 with an RBI.

Cornelius got the win (8-1) as he pitched seven and one-third innings, giving up three runs (three earned) on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Drake picked up his 10thsave of the season and leads the NJCAA.

CGCC    0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0   3  7 1
PCC        1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 x    4  8 1

W – Cornelius (8-1). S – Drake (10). 2B: Stucky, R. Castro. HR: Shackelford, Mondeau. SB:Avila.

The Aztecs will play at Scottsdale Community College on Saturday in an ACCAC doubleheader. First game starts at noon.

Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez 

 

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