(Phoenix, AZ) The Pima Community College baseball team (42-14, 26-12 in ACCAC) closed out the regular season on Saturday at South Mountain Community College (32-23, 22-16).
The No. 10 ranked Aztecs split with the Cougars but gaining the one win secured the Aztecs as the No. 2 seed for the Region I, Division I Tournament.
Sophomore Nick Arias (Tucson Magnet HS) finished the day 4 for 8 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Freshman Collin Senior (Horizon HS) was 2 for 8 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Sophomore Benji Cazares (Tucson Magnet HS) went 2 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs.
W – White (2-2). S – Richie (2). 2B: Avila, Hennesy, Arias. HR: Senior, Hennesy. SB: Senior, Shackelford, Reeves, Arias.
Game 1: (10 Pima Aztecs 10, South Mountain Cougars 7
The Aztecs rallied with four runs in the top of the 7th inning to take the lead for good.
Cazares broke a 7-7 tie with two outs as he hit a two-run RBI single to center field, bringing around Arias and Senior, who had singled and walked respectively to get on base with one out. Sophomore Antonio Avila capped the inning with an RBI double to plate Cazares.
Benji Cazeras//Photo – Gilbert Alcaraz
Sophomore Elijah Reeves (Marana HS) drew a one-out walk and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.
The Aztecs trailed 6-3 heading into the 5th inning. Reeves drew a walk, stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Senior hit a shot to center field that went over the fence for a home run as Pima cut it to 6-5.
Sophomore Jontae Hennesy (Horizon HS) kept it close in the 6th inning as he hit a solo home run to center field on a full count. It brought it back to a one-run deficit at 7-6.
Arias hit an RBI double in the 1st inning as he finished the game 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run. Senior went 1 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Hennesy was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run. Cazares finished 1 for 1 with two RBIs and a run. Reeves was 0 for 1 with three runs and two walks. Sophomore Caleb Herd (Cienega HS) had an RBI single in the 2nd inning and went 1 for 2.
Sophomore Tommy White got the win as he pitched two innings, giving up one run (none earned) on three hits with two strikeouts and two walks in relief. Freshman Auggie Richie (Sabino HS) picked up the save as he got the Cougars in order in the 7th inning.
L – Lee (3-3). 2B: Felix. HR: Arias. SB: Reeves.
Game 2: South Mountain Cougars 7, (10) Pima Aztecs 5
The Aztecs held a 4-1 lead, but the Cougars scored six runs in the bottom of the 8th inning as Pima’s rally fell short.
Arias hit a solo home run to left field with one out in the 9th inning. With two outs, Hennesy drew a walk and Cummings hit a single to put the tying run on base, but Avila struck out to end the game.
The Cougars struck first in the 2nd inning but the Aztecs took the lead in the 3rd. They loaded the bases with no outs and Arias and Senior hit back-to-back groundouts to each bring in a run as the Aztecs took a 2-1 lead.
Freshman Ray Jesse singled to start off the 7th inning and scored on an error to make it 3-1. In the 8th, freshman Chase Cummings reached base on an error to start the inning, and two batters later, was driven in by sophomore Dom Felix’s (Canyon del Oro HS) RBI double as Pima increased their lead to 4-1.
Arias finished the game going 2 for 5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Cummings went 2 for 5 with a run scored while Felix was 1 for 3 with an RBI. Jesse closed out the game going 1 for 4 with two runs and Cazares finished 1 for 4 with a run. Senior was 0 for 5 with an RBI.
Freshman Seth Lee took the loss in relief as he gave up four runs (four earned) on three hits and two walks in the 8th inning.
The No. 2 seeded Aztecs will play No. 3 Arizona Western College in the Region I, Division I Tournament Semifinals. The best-of-3 series will begin on Thursday at the West Campus Aztec Field. Game times are TBA.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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