(Sierra Vista, AZ) The Pima Community College baseball team (20-8, 11-5 in ACCAC) picked up its third straight ACCAC conference sweep on the road on Tuesday as it defeated Cochise College (15-12, 2-10).
Freshman Austin Madsen (Canyon del Oro HS) finished the day going 2 for 7 with three RBIs and a run scored. Sophomore Andrew Stucky (Canyon del Oro HS), Hunter Faildo and freshman Antonio Avila each had a pair of RBIs on the day. Sophomore pitchers Jaeden Swanberg (Salpointe Catholic HS) and Matt Cornelius produced solid outings on the mound.
Game 1: Pima CC Aztecs 7, Cochise College Apaches 1
The Aztecs rallied with seven unanswered runs and Swanberg had a complete-game to take the first contest.
Down 1-0, the Aztecs loaded the bases with three straight singles to begin the 5th inning. Sophomore Gage Mestas drew a walk to bring in pinch runner Elijah Reeves (Marana HS) to tie the game. Stucky hit a two-run RBI single driving in sophomores Rocco Gump (Seton Catholic HS) and Luis Garcia (Salpointe Catholic HS) to put the Aztecs up 3-1. Faildo hit a sacrifice-fly RBI to score Mestas and cap off the inning.
The Aztecs tacked on three more runs in the 7th. Faildo hit an RBI single to plate Stucky and Madsen drove in freshman Brant Kragel and sophomore Braedon Mondeau (Cienega HS) with an RBI double.
Stucky and Madsen each finished 1 for 3 with two RBIs while Faildo went 1 for 4 with two RBIs. Garcia was 2 for 3 with a run scored and Mondeau finished 1 for 2 with a run scored and two walks. Gump went 1 for 3 with a run.
Swanberg picked up the win (3-2) after he pitched a complete-game, giving up one run (one earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk on 94 pitches.
PCC 0 0 0 0 4 0 3 7 9 0
COC 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 0
W – Swanberg (3-2). 2B: Garcia, Madsen. SB: Avila, Kragel, Mondeau.
Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 5, Cochise College Apaches 3
The Aztecs struck in the 1st inning and created some breathing room with four runs in the 4th inning.
The Apaches stranded the tying run on second base as freshman J.T. Drake got two straight strikeouts to end the game.
The Aztecs got on the scoreboard in the 1st when freshman Benji Cazares (Tucson Magnet HS) hit a sacrifice-fly RBI to score Mestas, who reached on an error to lead-off the game.
The Aztecs did more damage in the 4th inning with two outs. Mondeau hit a single and freshman Ruben Castro (Tucson Magnet HS) drew a walk. Madsen hit an RBI single to plate Mondeau. Freshman Antonio Avila followed with a two-run RBI triple to score Castro and Madsen to put Pima up 4-0. Avila stole home plate to cap off the inning as the Aztecs led 5-0.
Cochise cut into Pima’s lead with a one in the 5th inning and two runs in the 7th.
Avila finished the game going 1 for 3 with two RBIs while Madsen went 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Mondeau was 1 for 4 with a run.
Cornelius improved to 6-1 on the season after picking up the win. He pitched six innings, giving up two runs (two earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Drake snatched his NJCAA-leading eighth save of the season after pitching the final two and one-third innings, giving up one hit with three strikeouts and one walk.
PCC 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 2
COC 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 3 8 1
W – Cornelius (6-1). S – Drake (8). 3B: Avila. SB: Avila.
The Aztecs will return to Tucson Invitational play on Wednesday when they go up against Williston State College in a single game at the Kino Sports Complex (Field #4). Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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