(Mesa, AZ) The Pima Community College baseball team (4-2) opened play in the Ringer Bats JUCO Invitational on Saturday at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.
The Aztecs picked up two victories on the day over New Mexico Junior College and Trinidad State College. They outscored their opponents 12-2 as sophomore starter J.T. Drake pitched a gem and freshman reliever Seth Lee kept the bats in check during his appearance.
Chase Cummings/Photo by Stephanie van Latum
Freshman Chase Cummings finished the day 3 for 6 with three runs scored, two RBIs and two doubles. Sophomore Nick Arias (Tucson Magnet HS) went 3 for 7 with an RBI and a run.
Pima CC Aztecs 6, New Mexico Junior College Thunderbirds 0
Drake pitched eight innings of shutout ball as gave up five hits with eight strikeouts and one walk on 93 pitches.
The Aztecs got on the board in the 2nd inning when sophomore Caleb Herd (Cienega HS) hit a sacrifice-fly RBI to score sophomore Ruben Castro (Tucson Magnet HS).
Up 2-0 in the 4th inning, the Aztecs scored three runs as Herd drove in his second run of the game on a bunt RBI single bringing in sophomore Brant Kragel. Two batters later, sophomore Antonio Avila hit a sacrifice-fly RBI to plate Cummings. Arias followed with an RBI single to score sophomore Elijah Reeves (Marana HS) to make it 5-0. Avila and Cummings each scored a run on wild pitches.
Cummings finished 1 for 3 with two runs scored and a walk while Arias was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Herd closed out the game going 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Avila finished 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.
NMJC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3
PCC 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 1 x 6 9 0
W – Drake (2-0). 2B: Cummings. SB: Avila, Shackelford, Arias
Pima CC Aztecs 6, Trinidad State College Trojans 2
W – Lee (1-0). 2B: Cummings, Shackelford. SB: Kragel, Richards, Felix, Arias, Albrand.
The Aztecs rallied in the 4thinning and broke open a tie game with four unanswered runs.
Cummings picked up where he left off in the first game but this time, he hit a two-run RBI double in the 4th inning to score Kragel and Castro, who had walked and singled respectively with one out..
With the game tied at 2-2 in the 5th, the Aztecs retook the lead for good when sophomore David Shackelford hit an RBI double to bring around Arias, who hit a single and stole second base to get in scoring position. The Aztecs added to their lead in the 6th when sophomore Dom Felix (Canyon del Oro HS) drove an RBI single to score Cummings and make it 4-2.
The Aztecs added insurance in the 7th inning when Kragel hit an RBI single bringing in sophomore Sterling Albrand (Millennium HS) and Castro followed with a sacrifice-fly RBI to plate Shackelford.
Cummings went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Castro was 1 for 3 with an RBI and run while Shackelford and Kragel each finished 1 for 3 with an RBI, a run and a walk. Arias closed it out going 1 for 3 with a run.
Lee picked up the win as he pitched three and two-third innings in relief, giving up one hit with seven strikeouts.
The Aztecs close out play at the Ringer Bats JUCO Invitational on Sunday when they play Trinidad State College at 10:00 a.m. and El Paso Community College at 2:00 p.m. Both games will be at Sloan Park.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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