Courtesy of Pima Athletics
Tucson, AZ – The Pima Community College softball team (35-23, 26-22 in ACCAC) is going to experience a rarity for the program in the last 16 years; miss the Region I playoffs.
The Aztecs fell to South Mountain Community College (13-46, 10-38) and finished two games behind Central Arizona College for the final spot in the Region I, Division I tournament.
Game 1: South Mountain CC Cougars 6, Pima CC Aztecs 2: The Cougars scored two runs in the 1st inning and three in the 5th to create a gap.
The Aztecs got on the board in the 3rd inning when sophomore Edith Prieto (Sunnyside HS) hit a groundout RBI to score freshman Mackenzie Judge (Ironwood Ridge HS) to cut South Mountain’s lead to 2-1. Sophomore Alyssa Smith (Winslow HS) made it a one-run game again at 3-2 in the 4th with a sacrifice-fly RBI to drive in sophomore Sierra Gentry.
Freshman Maria Vanezza Caldera (Tucson HS) finished the game 2 for 3 while Gentry and Judge each went 1 for 2 with one run scored.
Gentry took the loss (5-7) as she pitched six innings giving up six runs (six earned) on eight hits with three walks.
Game 2: South Mountain CC Cougars 23, Pima CC Aztecs 9 (5 innings): The Cougars erased the Aztecs advantage after the top of the 2nd inning as they scored 16 runs in the 2nd and seven runs in the 3rd inning.
Freshman Janice Garcia (Rio Rico HS) drew a bases loaded walk while sophomores Vanessa Duarte (Pueblo HS) and Chandler Arviso (Cibola HS) hit RBI singles in the inning to give the Aztecs a 4-0 lead.
Arviso, and freshmen Ariana Gomez (Sahuaro HS) and Mya Cabral (Pueblo HS) each contributed with RBI singles in the 4th as part of a five-run inning.
Arviso finished 3 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored while Cabral also went 3 for 3 with a run scored. Garcia was 1 for 2 with a run scored. Duarte finished 1 for 2 with an RBI.
Sophomore Marissa Moreno (Desert Vista HS) took the loss (0-2).
The Aztecs had eight sophomores and nine freshman on this year’s squad.
