(Phoenix, AZ) The Pima Community College baseball team (32-10, 18-8 in ACCAC) earned a sweep on the road on Tuesday as it played an ACCAC conference doubleheader at Phoenix College (18-21, 9-17).
The No. 19 ranked Aztecs have won 10 of their last 12 games. Sophomore Caleb Herd (Cienega HS) finished the day going 2 for 6 with four RBIs and two walks. They got quality starts from sophomore Diego Alvarez (Sahuarita HS) and freshman Nate Gray (Queen Creek HS) as they combined to pitch 13 innings, giving up one run (one earned) on 10 hits with 12 strikeouts and three walks.
Game 1: (19) Pima Aztecs 4, Phoenix College Bears 1
The Aztecs took advantage of a Phoenix College miscue in the 2nd inning and Alvarez took care of business on the mound.
Sophomore Jontae Hennesy (Horizon HS) led off the 2nd inning with a single and freshman Collin Senior (Horizon HS) followed with a walk. Freshman Chase Cummings put down a bunt single, and a throwing error brought in Hennesy and Senior as well as moved Cummings to third base. With one out in the inning, sophomore Benji Cazares (Tucson Magnet HS) grounded out but scored Cummings to make it 3-0.
The Aztecs tacked on another run in the 6th inning when Herd drew a bases loaded walk to score Senior.
Senior finished the game going 2 for 2 with two runs scored and two walks. Hennesy and Cummings each went 1 for 3 with a run scored and a walk. Cazares and Herd each had an RBI and a walk.
Alvarez pitched a complete-game, giving up one run (one earned) on six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk on 88 pitches.
PCC 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 4 0
PC 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 6 1
W – Alvarez (5-0). SB: Senior
Nate Gray – Photo/ Ben Casares
Game 2: (19) Pima Aztecs 9, Phoenix College Bears 0:
The Aztecs scored seven runs between the 2nd and 3rd innings as Gray threw six shutout innings.
The Aztecs scored three runs in the 2nd inning. With the bases loaded, Herd hit a two-run RBI double bringing in freshman Nolan Ganter (Pinnacle HS) and Cummings. Sophomore Nick Arias (Tucson Magnet HS) grounded-out but scored sophomore Austin Madsen (Canyon del Oro HS) to make it 3-0.
The momentum carried into the 3rd inning as the Aztecs put up a four-spot in the inning. Cummings hit a sacrifice-fly RBI while Herd drove another RBI single. Arias capped off the inning with a bases loaded walk to make it 7-0.
Herd finished the game 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a walk. Madsen went 1 for 3 with three runs scored and two walks while Arias was 1 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Ganter scored two runs and had three walks. Senior hit an RBI single in the 7th inning and was 1 for 5 with an RBI.
The Aztecs scored three runs on Phoenix College errors as they committed four for the game.
Gray got the win after he pitched six innings, giving up four hits with five strikeouts and two walks on 91 pitches.
PCC 0 3 4 0 0 1 1 0 0 9 10 1
PC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4
W – Gray (3-0). 2B: Herd. SB: Hennesy, Ganter.
The Aztecs are back at the West Campus Aztec Field on Saturday when they host Eastern Arizona College. First pitch is at noon.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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