(Phoenix, AZ) The Pima Community College softball team (33-5, 23-5 in ACCAC) played a pair of tight games on Saturday but fell short at Phoenix College.
The No. 5 ranked Aztecs lost a couple of one-run games against the No. 6 ranked Bears. Freshman Amerika Lopez-Bedoy (Sunnyside HS) closed out the day going 3 for 8 with three RBIs and two runs. Sophomore Talia Martin (Mountain View HS) was 4 for 8 with an RBI and two runs. Freshman Jiselle Nunez (Tucson Magnet HS) finished 3 for 5 with two RBIs, two runs and three walks. Freshmen Arianna Flores (Salpointe Catholic HS) and Belen Camacho (Pueblo HS) took the losses in the circle.
Game 1: (6) Phoenix College Bears 3, (5) Pima Aztecs 2
The Aztecs held a couple of leads but the Bears scored two runs in the bottom of the 6th inning and the Aztecs went down in order to close the game in the 7th.
Sophomore Alyssa Noriega (Pueblo HS) put the Aztecs on the board in the 1st inning to score Nunez.
The Bears tied the game in the 4th inning but the Aztecs responded to take the lead back in the 5th inning when Martin hit a lead-off home run to center field to make it 2-1. The Aztecs loaded the bases with no outs, but a strikeout, a foul-tip out and a flyout ended the threat.
Martin finished 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run while Noriega was 1 for 3 with an RBI. Nunez went 0 for 1 with a run scored and three walks. Lopez-Bedoy finished 1 for 3 while sophomores Natalya Rivera (Sunnyside HS) and Aubrey Marx (Cienega HS) each went 1 for 4.
Flores suffered her second straight loss as she pitched six innings, giving up three runs (three earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and six walks.
L – Flores (15-2). 2B: Noriega. HR: Martin.
L – Camacho (3-3). 2B: Figueroa, Nunez, Rivera. 3B: Martin. HR: Lopez-Bedoy 2, Ortiz.
Game 2: (6) Phoenix College Bears 9, (5) Pima Aztecs 8 (8 innings)
The Aztecs led on three different occasions and took the lead for the final time in the 8th inning, but the Bears won it on a walk-off two-run RBI single.
Nunez hit an RBI double to score Marx and put the Aztecs ahead in the 8th inning. Nunez added some insurance when she scored on a passed ball to put Pima up 8-6.
The Bears took advantage of two Pima errors and scored three runs in the bottom of the 8th to win it.
Nunez hit an RBI single to score Martin and put the Aztecs ahead in the 1st inning. The Bears countered with three runs in the bottom-half of the inning, but Pima quickly responded. Lopez-Bedoy went yard to center field to open the 2nd inning. Sophomore Cheyanne Ortiz (Tucson Magnet HS) followed with a solo home run of her own to tie the game at 3-3.
The Aztecs continued their offensive momentum in the 3rd inning with another three runs. Freshman Yulissa Lopez (Tucson Magnet HS) hit an RBI single to score Rivera, who doubled to start the inning. Lopez-Bedoy hit her second homer of the game to center field bringing in Lopez as the Aztecs took a 6-3 lead.
The Bears tied the game at 6-6 with one run in the 3rd and two runs in the 4th inning. The score remained until extra play in the 8th inning.
Lopez-Bedoy finished 2 for 5 with three RBIs and two runs. Nunez went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and a run while Ortiz was 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run. Lopez closed out the game going 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run. Martin and Rivera each scored a run.
Camacho took the loss in a relief appearance as she pitched one inning, giving up two runs (none earned) on one hit with one strikeout and one walk.
The Aztecs will return to the West Campus Aztec Softball Field on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader against Central Arizona College. First game starts at 12:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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