(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College baseball team (6-2) capped off play at the Zinger Bats JUCO Invitational on Sunday at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ by picking up two more wins and finishing 4-0 for the weekend.
The Aztecs defeated Trinidad State College an El Paso Community College. Sophomore Elijah Reeves (Marana HS) finished the day going 4 for 7 with an RBI, two runs, two walks and three steals. Freshman Caden Richards finished the day going 2 for 8 with four RBIs, three runs scored and two steals. Freshman Andrew Hall went yard in the second game. Freshman Auggie Richie (Sabino HS) pitched five innings of shutout ball while Pima’s bullen combined to go nine and two-third innings giving up one hit with 16 strikeouts.
Pima CC Aztecs 15, Trinidad State College Trojans 0 (7 innings)
W – Richie (1-0). 2B: Castro. 3B: Madsen. SB: Hennesy 3, Kragel 2, Richards 2, Reeves.
The Aztecs took the lead early and helped seal the run-rule win with eight runs in the 6th inning.
Sophomore Jontae Hennesy (Horizon HS) drove in two runs as he reached on an error while fellow sophomore Austin Madsen (Canyon del Oro HS) hit a two-run RBI triple. Freshmen Chase Cummings, Leon Cereceres and Richards each produced RBI singles in the inning.
Richards scored on an error in the 1st inning to put the Aztecs on the board and drove a two-run RBI single to center field in the 2nd inning bringing around Hennesy and sophomore Caleb Herd (Cienega HS). Hennesy hit an RBI single in the 3rd inning to score sophomore Brant Kragel to make it 4-0.
The Aztecs tacked on three more runs in the 5th inning. Kragel and Cummings scored on wild pitches and sophomore Reeves drove in Hennesy with an RBI single to make it 7-0.
Hennesy finished the game 2 for 4 with three RBIs, three runs scored and three steals. Richards was also 2 for 4 with three RBIs, two runs and two steals. Cummings went 1 for 3 with an RBI and two runs while Reeves finished 1 for 3 with an RBI and a walk. Madsen closed it out going 1 for 1 with two RBIs and a run. Kragel drew three walks and scored two runs along with two steals.
Richie picked up the win after throwing five scoreless innings, giving up two hits with nine strikeouts and two walks on 82 pitches. Sophomore Tommy White (Cibola HS) pitched the final two innings with four strikeouts.
The Aztecs were aggressive on the base paths as they finished the day with 14 stolen bases.
Pima CC Aztecs 12, El Paso CC Tejanos 7
W – Gilliam (1-0). 2B: Castro. HR: Hall. SB: Avilczxa 2, Reeves 2, Castro, Cereceres.
The Aztecs and the Tejanos went back and forth with the offensive onslaughts to start the game, but the Pima bullpen locked down to help secure the win.
The Aztecs rallied in the bottom of the 1st inning with five runs. Freshman Nolan Ganter (Pinnacle HS) tied the game after he hit an RBI single scoring Cereceres. With two outs, Hall went yard on an 0-1 count and drove it to left field for the three-run homer scoring Madsen and Ganter. Pima took a 5-2 lead.
The Tejanos took the lead back with five runs in the 2nd inning. Freshman Alex Gilliam came in for relief and got the last two outs of the inning, but Pima trailed 7-5.
Freshmen Ray Jesse and sophomore Sterling Albrand (Millennium HS) hit back-to-back RBI singles in the 3rd inning to tie the game. The Aztecs took the lead for good in the 4thwhen freshman Collin Senior (Horizon HS) hit an RBI single to score Richards and Ganter scored on a passed ball to make it 9-7.
Richards brought in Reeves after a groundout in the 5th inning. Sophomore Ruben Castro (Tucson Magnet HS) scored after stealing home plate in the 7th and Hall drove in his fourth run of the game with a sacrifice-fly RBI in the 8th inning.
Hall went 1 for 1 with four RBIs, two runs and three walks. Ganter was 2 for 3 with an RBI, three runs and two walks. Reeves finished 3 for 4 with two runs and a walk.
Gilliam picked up the win after he pitched three and two-third innings with five strikeouts and one walk. Freshman Taylin Oana threw two innings, giving up one hit with three strikeouts and sophomore Garrett Hicks (Verrado HS) closed out the final two innings with four strikeouts.
The Aztecs will be back at the West Campus Aztec Baseball Field on Friday when they host Luna Community College for a doubleheader. First game starts at 11:00 a.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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