(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College baseball team (14-2) picked up a non-conference sweep on Tuesday and have now won 12 straight games as it beat the Arizona Christian University Prospect Team at the West Campus Aztec Field.
Sophomore pitcher Diego Alvarez (Sahuarita HS) had a strong start in the first game while sophomores David Shackelford and Brant Kragel combined to go 7 for 8 with five RBIs and four runs scored in the second game.
Game 1: Pima Aztecs 3, ACU Prospect Firestorm 1
The Aztecs put together enough offense and the pitching staff held the Firestorm at bay.
The Aztecs got on the board in the 2nd inning when sophomore Austin Madsen (Canyon del Oro HS) hit a ground-out but it scored sophomore Antonio Avila, who drew a walk and stole two bases in the inning.
Sophomore Benji Cazares (Tucson Magnet HS) hit an RBI single in the 3rd inning to drive in sophomore Sterling Albrand (Millennium HS) to make it 2-0. Albrand drew a lead-off walk.
The Firestorm cut into Pima’s lead in the 4th inning with a run, but the Aztecs countered in the 5th inning when freshman Nolan Ganter (Pinnacle HS) grounded-out but brought in freshman Leon Cereceres.
Ganter was 1 for 3 with an RBI while Cazares finished 1 for 2 with an RBI. Cereceres, Avila and Albrand each scored one run.
Alvarez picked up the win after he pitched four innings, giving up one run (none earned) on two hits with five strikeouts on 49 pitches.
ACU 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3 0
PCC 0 1 1 0 1 0 x 3 6 4
W – Alvarez (2-0). SB: Avila 2.
Game 2: Pima Aztecs 7, ACU Prospect Firestorm 2:
Shackelford and Kragel went on a tear at the plate as the Aztecs scored five runs in the late innings to seal the win and get the sweep.
With the game tied at 2-2 in the 7th inning, Shackelford reached base on an error with two outs. Kragel drove him in with an RBI triple to put the Aztecs back up 3-2. Freshman Chase Cummings followed with an RBI double to bring in Kragel.
The Aztecs tacked on three more runs in the 8th inning as freshman Ray Jesse hit an RBI double to score Avila and make it 5-2. Shackelford capped off the inning with a two-run RBI triple bringing around Jesse and sophomore Elijah Reeves (Marana HS).
Shackelford hit a two-out triple in the 1st inning and scored on Kragel’s RBI single to put Pima on the scoreboard. The duo connected again with two outs in the 5th inning when Kragel hit an RBI single to score Shackelford to make it 2-0.
Kragel finished a flawless 4 for 4 with three RBIs and a run scored. Shackelford went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Jessee was 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run and Cummings finished 1 for 5 with an RBI.
Freshman Taylin Oana got the win after he pitched one inning, giving up one walk. The Aztecs used seven pitchers in the game.
ACU 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 7 3
PCC 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 x 7 13 1
W – Oana (1-0). 2B: Cummings, Jesse. 3B: Shackelford, Kragel. SB: Avila, Madsen, Kragel, Senior, Shackelford.
The Aztecs will be back at the West Campus Aztec Field on Saturday when they host an ACCAC conference doubleheader against Cochise College. First game starts at 12:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez