Shackelford hits go-ahead homer as Aztecs Baseball takes Game 1 against Arizona Western in Region Semifinals

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(Tucson, AZ)  The Pima Community College baseball team (43-14) was forced to rally in the first game of the Region I, Division I Semifinals on Thursday against Arizona Western College (37-16) at the West Campus Aztec Field.

The No. 2 seeded Aztecs rallied from a four-run deficit to beat the Matadors 7-6. The Aztecs took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 series and look to advance to the Region I Finals with a win on Friday.

W – Hicks (6-1). 2B: Hennesy. HR: Shackelford. SB: Reeves 2.

Sophomore David Shackelford hit a lead-off home run to start off the bottom of the 7^thinning as he drove a shot over the left field fence to put Pima up for good.

The Matadors scored four runs in the 1^st inning, but the Aztecs chipped away. Sophomore Jontae Hennesy (Horizon HS) put Pima on the scoreboard in the 3^rd inning with an RBI single to bring around sophomore Elijah Reeves (Marana HS).

The Aztecs scored four runs in the 4^th inning. They loaded the bases on three straight singles by Shackelford, sophomore Ruben Castro (Tucson Magnet HS) and sophomore Antonio Avila. Sophomore Caleb Herd (Cienega HS) drew a bases loaded walk to score Shackelford. Reeves followed with a two-run RBI single driving in Castro and Avila to tie it up at 4-4. Freshman Collin Senior (Horizon HS) hit a ground-out but brought in Herd to give Pima the lead.

The Aztecs went up 6-4 in the 5^th inning when Herd hit a sacrifice-fly RBI to score sophomore Brant Kragel. The Matadors tied it at 6-6 with two runs in the top of the 6^th.

Shackelford finished the game 2 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Herd was 0 for 2 with two RBIs, a run and walk. Reeves went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, a run scored and two steals. Senior finished 2 for 5 with an RBI and Hennesy was 3 for 5 with an RBI.

Sophomore Garrett Hicks (Verrado HS) got the win as he pitched three and two-third innings in relief, giving up no runs on three hits with one strikeout on 43 pitches. Sophomore Diego Alvarez (Sahuarita HS) started the game and threw five and one-third innings, giving up six runs (five earned) on nine hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

The Aztecs and the Matadors lock up for Game 2 on Friday at 2:00 p.m. at the West Campus Aztec Field.

Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez