The No. 23 Pima Community College baseball team dropped the first game and rallied to win the second in a doubleheader at Phoenix College on Saturday.
The Aztecs (16-4, 6-4 in ACCAC) were led by freshman Sean Barta, who was 2 for 7 with two RBIs and two runs in the games.
Sophomore Nate Gray made the most of a long relief appearance to get the win in the second game.
Game 1: Phoenix College 3, (23) Pima 2:
The Bears (5-10, 3-5) won the game on a passed ball with the bases loaded in the seventh inning.
Sophomore Caden Richards put the Aztecs ahead 2-0 with an RBI single that drove in Barta, who hit a lead-off double and sophomore Ray Jesse, who had walked to get on base.
The Bears scored three unanswered runs; in the second, fourth and seventh innings.
Pima was held to four hits for the game.
Richards finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a walk. Barta was 1 for 2 with a run and Jesse finished with a run and a walk.
Sophomore Tsubasa Tomii took the loss as he pitched one inning, giving up one unearned run with two walks.
Sophomore Maclain Roberts started the game and pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
Game 2: (23) Pima 6, Phoenix College 4
The Aztecs rallied from a 3-0 deficit to score five runs in the fourth inning.
With one out in the fourth, sophomore Nolan Ganter reached base on an error. Barta hit a two-run home run to left field on the ensuing at-bat to cut the deficit to 3-2.
The Aztecs loaded the bases still with one out, as freshman Mike Jones (Canyon del Oro) came through with a two-run single to score freshmen Jackson Glueck and Ramon Martinez. Freshman Leon Cereceres added some insurance with his RBI single to plate freshman Ernie Alvarez (Canyon del Oro).
The Aztecs went ahead 5-3.
Jones hit an RBI single in the eighth inning and finished the game 3 for 4 with three RBIs. Barta went 1 for 5 with two RBIs and a run. Martinez was 2 for 3 with two runs and Cereceres finished 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Gray got the win in a relief appearance as he pitched five innings, giving up one run on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks on 97 pitches.
Freshman Sal Valenzuela (Nogales) started and pitched four innings, giving up three runs on two hits with five strikeouts and four walks.
The Aztecs will be back on the road on Tuesday when they play an ACCAC doubleheader at Glendale. First game starts at 12:00 p.m.
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