Tucson, AZ –The Pima Community College softball team (49-7) is heading back to the Region I Championship Round, this time in Division II, as it celebrated a milestone for head coach Rebekah Quiroz.
Rebekah Quiroz/Photo by Stephanie van Latum
The No. 2 seeded Aztecs defeated No. 4 Scottsdale Community College 8-4 to advance and also gave Quiroz her 200th career win as the Pima head coach. She had 606 wins as an assistant coach with the program. The softball program is 100-29 since Quiroz’s 100th win on April 18, 2023.
“I’m just so proud of the program and the girls, the family and everything that goes into what we preach about; community, family and all the outreach we have. I’m very grateful,” Quiroz said. “My Aztec family, we’re very close and there’s so much support at Pima College.”
The Aztecs trailed early as the Artichokes scored two runs in the 1st inning. Freshman Jiselle Nunez (Tucson Magnet HS) helped Pima respond with her 22nd home run of the season as she sent it over the center field fence on a 2-2 count with two outs.
“We came to play, and that home run was really big and I’m really glad I stepped up in that moment having two outs,” Nunez said about her 1st inning homer. “I knew what I was coming to face today. I was ready to bring it. I’m feeling a lot more comfortable (at the plate) I was putting pressure on myself. I kept myself calm and collected and I felt really comfortable at the plate. My hands were loose and I knew what I had to do.”
The score remained until the 3rd inning. Sophomore Talia Martin (Mountain View HS) reached base on a double. With two outs, Nunez was hit by a pitch and it set up sophomore Alyssa Noriega’s (Pueblo HS) three-run shot to center field to put the Aztecs ahead 4-3.
“Coming into today I was hoping to make better contact, and I knew I was going to see better pitches just because we’ve faced them (Scottsdale CC) so many times and I knew what to expect,” Noriega said. “My first at-bat, I was a little anxious and I grounded out. Second at-bat, I just said ‘Okay, be more patient and wait for your pitch.’ First pitch was a little too pretty to pass up and I took it for a ride. I was ready and I knew I had her timing down.”
The Aztecs added more insurance in the 4th inning. After back-to-back singles by freshmen Julissa Lopez (Tucson Magnet HS) and Amerika Lopez-Bedoy (Sunnyside HS), sophomore Cheyanne Ortiz (Tucson Magnet HS) hit an RBI single to score Lopez. Pinch runner Sariah Ferrentino (Sabino HS) scored on an error and made it 6-3. Martin drove in Ortiz with an RBI single and freshman Clarissa Figueroa (Mountain View HS) touched home plate after a passed ball.
Noriega finished the game going 1 for 3 with three RBIs and a run while Nunez closed it out going 1 for 2 with an RBI and two runs. Martin went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run and Ortiz was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run. Lopez finished 2 for 3 with a run and Lopez-Bedoy was 3 for 3 at the plate.
Freshman Arianna Flores (Salpointe Catholic HS) picked up her 20th win of the season as she pitched a complete-game, giving up four runs (four earned) on four hits with 11 strikeouts and three walks on 115 pitches.
The Aztecs will play No. 3 South Mountain Community College in the Championship Round on Saturday. Game time is set for 11:00 a.m. The Aztecs need to secure one win while the Cougars need to win two games.
SCC 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 4 1
PCC 1 0 3 4 0 0 x 8 10 0
W – Flores (20-3). 2B: Martin. HR: Noriega, Nunez.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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