(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College baseball team (12-5, 5-3 in ACCAC) took to the road on Wednesday for an ACCAC conference doubleheader against GateWay Community College at Gene Autry Park in Mesa, AZ.
The No. 21 ranked Aztecs scored 16 runs on the day as sophomore Jackson Glueck finished 4-for-8 with five RBIs and a run scored. Freshman Adriel Figueroa-Brito went 2-for-7 with five runs scored and three walks. Sophomore Kai Fitak got the win in relief for the first game and freshman Jesse Neretlis picked up the win in the second game.
Game 1: (21) Pima Aztecs 6, GateWay Geckos 4
The Aztecs took the lead for good with one run in the 5th inning and one in the 6th.
With the game tied at 4-4 in the 5th inning, sophomore Mike Jones (Canyon del Oro HS) hit a lead-off single and later scored on an outfield error to give Pima the lead.
The Aztecs added some insurance in the 6th inning when Glueck hit his third RBI single of the game bringing around pinch runner Westin Thompson. Lorta hit a double earlier in the inning to get into scoring position with two outs.
The Aztecs trailed 2-1 but scored three runs in the top of the 3rd inning. Freshman Damian Lorta (Desert View HS) hit an RBI double to score freshman Figueroa-Brito to tie the game at 2-2. Glueck followed with an RBI single to bring in Lorta, and Jones drove an RBI double to plate Glueck. Pima led 4-2 but the Geckos countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie it.
Glueck closed out the game going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored while Lorta finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Jones went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Figueroa-Brito scored two runs.
Fitak picked up the win in a relief appearance as he pitched four and two-third innings, giving up two hits with five strikeouts and no walks on 52 pitches.
PCC 1 0 3 0 1 1 0 6 9 0
GWCC 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 7 2
W – Fitak (2-0). 2B: Lorta 2, Glueck, Jones. SB: Figueroa-Brito, Jones.
Game 2: (21) Pima Aztecs 10, GateWay Geckos 2
The Aztecs scored 10 unanswered runs to beat the Geckos and earn the sweep.
The Aztecs loaded the bases with no outs with the score tied at 2-2 in in the 4th inning. Figueroa-Brito drew a bases loaded walk to score freshman Juan Hernandez (Tucson Magnet HS). Freshman Ezra Vidal (Sahuarita HS) followed with a three-run RBI double bringing in sophomore Max Leyva (Tucson Magnet HS), sophomore Leon Cereceres and Figueroa-Brito to put the Aztecs up 6-2. Glueck capped the inning with a ground-out that scored Vidal.
The Aztecs tacked on three more runs in the 6th inning. Freshman Cooper Kruk (Catalina Foothills HS) hit an RBI double to drive in Figueroa-Brito. Two batters later, freshman Aciel Guillen (Salpointe Catholic HS) brought in Kruk and Jones with an RBI triple.
Vidal finished the game going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run while Guillen finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run. Kruk went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored and Figueroa-Brito was 1-for-3 with an RBI and three runs. Hernandez had an RBI double in the 2nd inning and closed it out going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Glueck hit an RBI single in the 3rd inning and was 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
Neretlis picked up the win as he pitched five innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on one hit with six strikeouts and four walks on 84 pitches.
PCC 0 1 1 5 0 3 0 10 12 0
GWCC 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 2
W – Neretlis (2-0). 2B: Kruk 2, Vidal, Hernandez, Cereceres. SB: Figueroa-Brito 3, Guillen, Kruk, Vidal, Leyva.
The Aztecs will be back on the road this Saturday when they play at Scottsdale Community College in an ACCAC conference doubleheader. The first game starts at 12:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics- Raymond Suarez
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