(Choccolocco, AL) The Pima Community College softball team (52-8) picked up two wins in consolation bracket play on Wednesday at the NJCAA Division II World Series.
The No. 7 seeded Aztecs defeated No. 4 seed Des Moines Area Community College (IA) in their night game and upended Mott Community College (MI) in their first game.
Consolation Game – (7) Pima Aztecs 9, Des Moines Area Bears 1 (F/6)
W – Flores (22-4). 2B: Noriega. SB: Rivera.
The Aztecs trailed after the 1st inning but rallied off nine unanswered runs to get the run rule victory.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the 3rd inning, freshman Jiselle Nunez (Tucson Magnet HS) hit her first RBI single of the tournament as she scored sophomore Talia Martin (Mountain View HS), who drew a walk to get on base. Sophomore Alyssa Noriega (Pueblo HS) put the Aztecs ahead with a shot to right field driving in sophomore Aubrey Marx (Cienega HS) and pinch runner Nevaeh Bracamonte to give Pima a 3-1 advantage.
They tacked on three more runs in the 5th inning. Sophomore Natalya Rivera (Sunnyside HS) went to right field with her hit to score Marx, who reached on an error to start the inning. Sophomore Cheyanne Ortiz (Tucson Magnet HS) came through with two outs as she hit a ball that was just out of reach for the second baseman as it scored freshman Taiya Teixeira (Salpointe Catholic HS) and Rivera. Pima went up 6-1.
The Aztecs closed out the game in the 6th inning. They loaded the bases with no outs as Nunez drew a walk to bring in freshman Clarissa Figueroa (Mountain View HS). Noriega went to right field again with a hit to drive in Martin to put it at 8-1. Rivera secured the victory with her sacrifice-fly RBI to center field scoring Marx.
Noriega finished the game 2 for 3 with three RBIs while Nunez went 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Rivera was 1 for 4 with two RBIs and Marx finished 1 for 4 with three runs. Martin closed it out going 1 for 3 with two runs.
Freshman Arianna Flores (Salpointe Catholic HS) picked up her 22nd win of the season after she pitched all six innings, giving up one run (none earned) on seven hits with seven strikeouts and four walks on 128 pitches. She got out of a bases loaded jam in the 6th inning with one out as she got two straight strikeouts to end the threat.
Consolation Game – (7) Pima Aztecs 6, (10) Mott Bears 3: The Aztecs broke open a tie game in the top of the 7th inning.
W – Thompson (13-0). 2B: Martin, Noriega, Rivera. 3B: Ortiz, Figueroa.
The Aztecs loaded the bases with one out. Ortiz hit a fielder’s choice, and the Bears made a play at home to get Noriega for the second out. Freshman Amerika Lopez-Bedoy came up and got hit by a pitch, which scored Rivera to give the Aztecs their first lead of the game at 4-3. Figueroa, with a full count, drove a shot to center field and scored freshman Julissa Lopez and Ortiz for some insurance.
Down 1-0, the Aztecs got on the scoreboard in the 2nd inning. Ortiz hit a triple with one out and scored on Figueroa’s bloop single to left field.
The Bears took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the 3rd inning when Emma Benner hit a two-run home run off of freshman Belen Camacho (Pueblo HS).
The Aztecs chipped away again as Figueroa hit a lead-off triple in the 4th inning and was brought in on Marx’s sacrifice-fly RBI.
Noriega hit a lead-off double in the 5th inning. Rivera put down a sacrifice bunt to move Teixeira over to third base. Lopez hit a sacrifice-fly to center field to score Teixeira to tie the game at 3-3.
Figueroa finished the game 3 for 3 with three RBIs and a run. Ortiz was 1 for 4 with two runs while Marx went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Rivera closed it out going 1 for 2 with a run and Noriega finished 3 for 4.
Sophomore Jessica Thompson (Tanque Verde HS) proved to be a difference maker in the circle as she pitched four and one-third innings of shutout ball, giving up three hits with five strikeouts and two walks on 76 pitches.
The Aztecs will be back at Choccolocco Park on Thursday as they play a consolation bracket game against No. 9 seed Northwest Mississippi Community College. First pitch is at 10:00 a.m. (CT); 8:00 a.m. Tucson time.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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