The No. 9 Pima Community College baseball team lost 7-6 Tuesday against visiting Chandler-Gilbert in an ACCAC game at the West Campus Aztec Field.
A ninth-inning rally by Pima (39-11, 23-11 ACCAC) against Chandler-Gilbert (26-24, 21-13) fell short in the loss.
Down 7-4, the Aztecs recorded two outs, but sophomores Collin Senior and Andrew Grenert drew back-to-back walks. A pitch hit by freshman Mike Jones (Canyon del Oro) loaded the bases. Freshman Ernie Alvarez (Canyon del Oro) came through with a two-run RBI single to center field to bring in Senior and Grenert to cut it to a one-run deficit. Freshman Ramon Martinez struck out to end the game.
The Aztecs trailed 5-0 after the Coyotes scored one run in the first inning and four runs in the second. Pima got on the board in the bottom of the second inning when Alvarez hit a two-run homer to center field, driving in Jones. Sophomore Nolan Ganter made it 5-3 with an RBI single that scored Martinez.
The Aztecs cut the deficit to 5-4 when Martinez hit an RBI single to score Senior, who reached base on an error to begin the inning. The Coyotes added one run in the eighth and one in the top of the ninth inning.
Alvarez finished 2 for 4 with four RBIs and a run while Martinez went 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run. Ganter also was 2 for 5 with an RBI and Senior was 1 for 3 with two runs and two walks.
Sophomore Nate Gray took the loss as he pitched five innings, giving up five runs (two earned) on two hits with four strikeouts and three walks on 95 pitches.
The Aztecs are back at the West Campus Aztec Field on Wednesday when they host GateWay. First pitch is at 3:00 p.m.
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