Courtesy of Pima Athletics
Tucson, AZ – The Pima Community College baseball team (20-26, 10-24 in ACCAC) were silenced on offense in the first game but freshmen Matthew Hackman (Empire HS) and Elisandro Diaz (Salpointe Catholic HS) sparked the Aztecs to bounce back.
Hackman finished the day 3 for 6 with two RBIs and two runs scored. The Aztecs got great starting performances from freshman Michael Wong and sophomore Jose Contreras (Tucson HS).
Game 1: Paradise Valley CC Pumas 1, Pima CC Aztecs 0 (8 innings): The Aztecs dropped a tough one as the Pumas scored on an error in the 8th inning to win it.
The Aztecs hit into three double plays which ended their threats. They loaded the bases with no outs in the 3rd but sophomore Marcus Mendez (Desert View HS) flied out and Diaz was called out at third base. Freshman Rafael Padilla (Nogales HS) grounded out to end the inning. In the 7th inning, Hackman hit a leadoff triple but later got caught back at third base on a double-play. Sophomore Martin Garcia (Tucson HS) grounded out to end the inning.
Garcia finished the game 2 for 4 while five players finished 1 for 3. The Aztecs left seven runners on base.
Sophomore Isaac Lopez (Nogales HS) took the loss as he pitched the final one and one-third innings giving up one run (none earned) on two hits with one strikeout and two walks. Wong threw six shutout innings giving up two hits with three strikeouts and three walks on 87 pitches.
PCC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 1
PVCC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 2
Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 5, Paradise Valley CC Pumas 3 (7 innings): The Aztecs’ offense clicked in the 1st inning as it scored four runs and the pitching did the rest. The Aztecs produced all their runs with two outs as Wong hit an RBI single to score Garcia, who led off the game with a single. Hackman followed with an RBI single to score Mendez to make it 2-0. Diaz capped off the inning with a two-run RBI single to left field, which scored Wong and Hackman.
Hackman added an insurance run in the 6th inning with a leadoff solo home run to right field to make it 5-1.
Hackman finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored while Diaz was a perfect 3 for 3 with two RBIs. Wong was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Contreras picked up the win (5-4) after he threw five and one-third innings giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits with sevenstrikeouts and three walks. Freshman Thomas Garcia (Salpointe Catholic HS) picked up the save after he threw the final one and one third innings giving up two hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
PCC 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 8 4
PVCC 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 6 1
The Aztecs will close out the regular season with three straight ACCAC doubleheaders at the West Campus Aztec Baseball Field. They will host Phoenix College on Saturday starting at noon.
