(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College softball team (41-12) went 2-0 on the first day of the Region I, Division I Tournament in Thatcher, AZ.
The Aztecs secured their first 40-plus season since 2015. Freshman Talia Martin finished the day going 5 7 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. Freshman Alyssa Noriega (Pueblo HS) finished 3 for 6 with two RBIs and a run. Sophomore Camila Zepeda (Tucson Magnet HS) continued her hitting streak as it reached 29 games as she went 3 for 7. Freshman Natalya Rivera (Sunnyside HS) was 2 for 5 with an RBI and two runs. Freshman Marina Price (Rincon/University HS) provided possibly the biggest hit of the season. Freshmen Nevaeah Bracamonte and Jazmyne Waddell (San Manuel HS) picked up the wins in the circle.
Game 1: (2) Pima Aztecs 6, (3) Arizona Western Matadors 4
The Aztecs rallied with five runs in the 6th inning to advance in the winner’s bracket.
Trailing 4-1 in the 6th, the Aztecs got back-to-back singles from sophomores Mallory Zylinski-Wrobel (Sahuarita HS) and Mina Chacon (Tucson Magnet HS) with one out. Noriega hit a line drive to right field to score them both. Two batters later, Rivera tied the game at 4-4 with her RBI double to plate Noriega. Martin followed with an RBI single to score freshman Nevaeah Bracamonte to put the Aztecs ahead for good. Rivera scored on an error to cap off the inning.
The Matadors got two runs in the 3rd inning and the Aztecs got on the board in the bottom of the 4th inning. Chacon hit an RBI single to right field to bring around pinch runner Alyssa Lopez (Sunnyside HS).
The Matadors scored two more runs in the 5th inning to take a 4-1 advantage. The Aztecs had five hits in the first five innings and had seven hits in the 6th inning alone.
Noriega finished the game 1 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Zylinski-Wrobel closed it out going 3 for 3 with a run scored. Chacon went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run while Rivera was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run. Martin finished 2 for 4 with an RBI. Zepeda extended her hit streak to 28 games after going 2 for 4.
Bracamonte went 1 for 2 with a run scored, and also picked up the win in a relief appearance as she pitched the final two and one-third innings, giving up one hit with three strikeouts on 23 pitches.
AWC 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 4 5 1
PCC 0 0 0 1 0 5 x 6 13 5
W – Bracamonte. 2B: Noriega, Rivera.
Game 4: (2) Pima Aztecs 6, Central Arizona Vaqueras 5
Price came through as she drove a 2-1 count deep to right field that was out of reach of the outfielder’s glove as Chacon scored from third to end it.
The Aztecs trailed 5-3 in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Chacon hit a sacrifice-fly RBI to drive in Waddell. The Aztecs tied it in the 6th inning when Martin hit a two-out triple and was driven in by freshman Aubrey Marx’s (Cienega HS) RBI infield single.
The Vaqueras scored three runs in the 1st inning, but the Aztecs countered when Waddell hit an RBI single to score Martin, who drew a lead-off walk.
The Aztecs tied it at 3-3 in the 2nd inning. Rivera scored on an error and Martin hit an RBI single to bring in Lopez.
Martin finished the game going 3 for 3 with an RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Waddell was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored while Marx also went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Price went 1 for 2 with an RBI and Rivera finished 1 for 2 with a run. Chacon closed it out going 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run. Zepeda ran her hitting streak to 29 games after finishing 1 for 3 with a double. Noriega was 2 for 3.
Waddell pitched a complete-game, giving up five runs (four earned) on 14 hits with four strikeouts and no walks on 111 pitches
CAC 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 5 14 2
PCC 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 6 15 1
W – Waddell. 2B: Noriega, Zepeda, Rivera. 3B: Martin.
The Aztecs will play the winner of Saturday morning’s elimination game between Eastern Arizona College and Central Arizona College in the Championship Round. Eastern Arizona and Central Arizona will play at 11:00 a.m. The Aztecs will play the winner at 12:30 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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