(Henderson, NV) The Pima Community College softball team (4-0) closed out play at the College of Southern Nevada Kickoff Classic on Saturday in Henderson, NV.
The Aztecs hit six home runs and scored 27 runs in their two wins on the day. They went 4-0 against NJCAA Division I teams this weekend.
Freshman Jiselle Nunez (Tucson Magnet HS) closed out the day going 5 for 9 with six RBIs, four runs scored and two home runs. Sophomore Alyssa Noriega (Pueblo HS) also produced a five-hit day as she went 5 for 9 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Sophomore Aubrey Marx (Cienega HS) was 4 for 6 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Freshman Arianna Flores (Salpointe Catholic HS) and sophomore Jessica Thompson (Tanque Verde HS) picked up the wins in the circle.
W – Flores (1-0). 2B: Noriega, Figueroa, Nunez. HR: Marx, Camacho, Rivera. SB: Figueroa, Ortiz
The Aztecs scored seven unanswered runs in the late innings and rallied for the third straight game to get the victory.
Down 8-6 in the 6th inning, the Aztecs chipped away as sophomore Natalya Rivera (Sunnyside HS) hit a lead-off single, and two batters later, was driven in by sophomore Cheyanne Ortiz (Tucson Magnet HS) to make it 8-7.
Marx and Nunez hit back-to-back singles to start off the 7th and Noriega drove a double to right field but Marx was caught at home for the first out. Freshman Julissa Lopez (Tucson Magnet HS) drew a walk to load the bases. Rivera came up and hit a sacrifice-fly RBI to right field that scored both Nunez and Noriega as the Aztecs took a 9-8 lead. Freshman Belen Camacho (Pueblo HS) gave the Aztecs some insurance as she connected on the first pitch she saw and took it out of the park for a two-run homer to make it 11-8. Ortiz and freshman Clarissa Figueroa (Mountain View HS) both stole home plate later in the inning to cap off a six-run 7th inning to help seal it.
Rivera hit a three-run home run in the 1st inning and finished the game 2 for 4 with five RBIs and two runs scored. Marx went yard in the 2nd inning and was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs. Noriega closed out the game going 3 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Ortiz also had a three-hit game finishing 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run. Nunez and Figueroa each scored two runs.
Flores pitched the final three and one-third innings in relief as she picked up the win, giving up two hits with six strikeouts. After surrendering a lead-off double in the 7th she had three straight strikeouts to end it.
W – Thompson (1-0). 2B: Asher 2, Figueroa, Martin. 3B: Lopez-Bedoy. HR: Nunez 2, Noriega
It was the first game the Aztecs never trailed in at the CSN Kickoff Classic as they scored seven runs in the 3rd inning to establish their lead.
Sophomore Talia Martin (Mountain View HS) put Pima ahead in the 2nd inning with an RBI single to bring in Ortiz.
Noriega led off the 3rd inning with a home run. The Aztecs did the rest of their damage with two outs. Ortiz and Marx hit RBI singles but it was Nunez, who cleared the bases with one swing as she hit a grand slam to center field on the first pitch to cap off the inning and make it 8-0.
The Aztecs got double digit runs for the third straight game in the 4th inning with freshman Amerika Lopez-Bedoy’s (Sunnyside HS) RBI triple and Figueroa’s RBI double to make it 10-2.
The Aztecs scored another four runs in the 7th as Nunez hit her second home run of the game taking another ball to center field on the first pitch for the two-run shot to make it 12-4. Martin scored after she hit a lead-off single. Lopez-Bedoy hit a two-run RBI single to bring in sophomores Nevaeh Bracamonte and Mari Asher (Canyon del Oro HS).
Nunez finished the game going 3 for 5 with six RBIs and two runs scored while Lopez-Bedoy went 2 for 5 with three RBIs and a run. Noriega finished 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run and Martin went 2 for 4 with an RBI, two runs and two walks. Asher was a flawless 3 for 3 with two runs and two doubles.
Thompson got the win as she started the game and pitched four and one-third innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks on 80 pitches.
The Aztecs begin ACCAC conference play on Saturday, Feb. 1when they play a doubleheader at Mesa Community College. The first game is at 12:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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