(Phoenix, AZ) The Pima Community College baseball team (16-4, 6-4 in ACCAC) was back on the field for an ACCAC conference doubleheader on Saturday at Phoenix College (5-10, 3-5).
The No. 23 ranked Aztecs dropped the first game and were forced to rally to win the second game. Freshman Sean Barta closed out the day 2 for 7 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Sophomore Nate Gray (Queen Creek HS) made the most of a long relief appearance to get the win in the second game.
Game 1: Phoenix College Bears 3, (23) Pima Aztecs 2
The Aztecs took the lead but the Bears won the game on a passed ball with the bases loaded in the 7th inning.
Sophomore Caden Richards put the Aztecs ahead 2-0 with an RBI single that drove in Barta, who hit a lead-off double and sophomore Ray Jesse, who had walked to get on base.
The Bears scored three unanswered runs; in the 2nd, 4th and 7th innings as Pima was held to four hits for the game
Richards finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a walk. Barta was 1 for 2 with a run and Jesse finished with a run and a walk.
Sophomore Tsubasa Tomii took the loss as he pitched one inning, giving up one run (none earned) with two walks. Sophomore Maclain Roberts started the game and pitched three and one-third innings, giving up two runs (two earned) on five hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
PCC 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0
PC 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 3 7 0
L – Tomii (1-1). 2B: Barta.
Game 2: (23) Pima Aztecs 6, Phoenix College Bears 4
The Aztecs rallied from a 3-0 deficit to score five runs in the 4th inning.
With one out in the 4th, sophomore Nolan Ganter reached base on an error. Barta hit a two-run home run to left field on the ensuing at-bat to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Aztecs loaded the bases still with one out, as freshman Mike Jones (Canyon del Oro HS) came through with a two-run RBI single to score freshman Jackson Glueck and freshman Ramon Martinez. Freshman Leon Cereceres added some insurance with his RBI single to plate freshman Ernie Alvarez (Canyon del Oro HS). The Aztecs went ahead 5-3.
Jones hit an RBI single in the 8th inning and finished the game 3 for 4 with three RBIs. Barta closed it out going 1 for 5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Martinez was 2 for 3 with two runs and Cereceres finished 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Gray got the win in a relief appearance as he pitched five innings, giving up one run (one earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks on 97 pitches. Freshman Sal Valenzuela (Nogales HS) started and pitched four innings, giving up three runs (three earned) on two hits with five strikeouts and four walks.
PCC 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 1 0 6 12 0
PC 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 9 1
W – Gray (2-0). 2B: Jones, Ganter. HR: Barta. SB: Cereceres 2, Richards, Jones.
The Aztecs will be back on the road on Tuesday when they play an ACCAC doubleheader at Glendale Community College. First game starts at 12:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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