History can repeat itself for Pima Community College’s softball team, the No. 2 seed heading into the NJCAA Region I, Division II tournament next week.
History was nothing like it is today for the Aztecs’ slugger — yes, slugger — Natalya Rivera.
Rivera, a shortstop, was a bright spot in a dark day Tuesday for Pima, which was swept in a doubleheader by scores of 4-3 and 17-6 in six innings by rival Phoenix College at the West Campus Aztec Field.
The Class of 2023 standout from Sunnyside belted two home runs in the second game, increasing her total to 16 this season with 60 RBIs as a leadoff batter.
She had three home runs with 24 RBIs last season as a freshman. Even more incredible — she had only two home runs at Sunnyside in her four-year varsity career. Her career RBI total with the Blue Devils was 72, only 12 more than she’s produced in this one season at Pima.
“I don’t know, people ask me about,” said Rivera with a smile when asked about her incredible power surge. “I feel like I am more confident, way more confident. Last year, I was more of a bunter, but I feel this year, I’m in my swing right now.
“I feel very confident and I’m always going to have my days. It happens to the best of us. When I can, I’ll do the most for my team.”
To the delight of Pima coach Rebekah Quiroz, Rivera can do plenty for the Aztecs as one of the sophomore captains with the postseason starting next week.
.@SHSDevilSports graduate Natalya Rivera hit two HRs in @PimaAthletics’ 17-6 loss in six innings against rival Phoenix College. Rivera, who is bound for @ENMUSoftball, has 16 HRs and 60 RBIs this season after hitting three HRs with 24 RBIs last year.
Rivera talks about her season… pic.twitter.com/Amxn4cEVrq— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) April 30, 2025
After Rivera’s two home runs Tuesday, Quiroz asked that the balls retrieved be given to Rivera’s mom Shelley because the games were Rivera’s last as a competitive softball player in Tucson. Pima’s home schedule is complete. Rivera is bound for Eastern New Mexico next season.
“I think she’s one of the best leadoff hitters in the country, next to, obviously, PC’s (Phoenix College’s J’Kaia’ Graves),” Quiroz said of Rivera. “She can do everything. She can beat out a slap hit. She can beat out a bunt. She can hit a home run. She’s leading (the Aztecs) in doubles. She’s just such an all-around offensive threat.
“She’s going to be irreplaceable next season.”
Graves is batting .538, second in the ACCAC to Pima freshman and Tucson High graduate Jiselle Nunez (.548 with 20 home runs and a conference-leading 92 RBIs). Graves also has 70 stolen bases (Rivera has eight). Rivera is batting .420 with 23 doubles (Graves has 10). Graves also has one home run with a slugging percentage of .643. Rivera’s slugging percentage is .839.
The Aztecs enter the region tournament at Phoenix College next Thursday (May 8) as the second seed, similar to when they went to Eastern Arizona last year and emerged with the title and automatic berth in the NJCAA Division I World Series.
Pima played a Division II schedule this season, including six games against Phoenix College.
The Aztecs finished 1-5 in the regular season against the Bears and were 46-2 against all other opponents.
Phoenix College is the No. 1 seed with a 37-3 conference record and 51-4 overall. Pima is 47-7 and 35-7.
The Aztecs will face No. 3 South Mountain (35-18, 27-13) in the opening round of the playoffs while Phoenix College will be matched against No. 4 Scottsdale (27-17, 22-17).
“We just have to build off the small things,” Rivera said when asked what Pima has to do differently if the Aztecs face Phoenix College again in the region tournament. “The small things can take you so far. Big hits can always be beautiful, but at the same time, laying down bunts and picking each other up I feel like we did a good on that part.”
Pima’s first four losses against the Bears this season were only by one run, including the first game of the doubleheader Tuesday.
The Aztecs lost by mercy rule in six innings in the second game, but they showed some fight faced with a 10-2 mercy-rule loss with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Pima rallied for four runs, behind an RBI single by Alyssa Noriega (Pueblo grad) and Rivera’s three-run home run.
“They compete; they don’t really understand how serious regionals is, but I guess with a young team, that’s a good thing,” said Quiroz, who has nine freshmen among the 19 players on her team. … They’re kind of running on fumes right now, but with the postseason coming, that’s a good thing.”
The sophomores who experienced the upset win over Eastern Arizona in the regional finals last year in Thatcher can use that to their advantage. They can show the youngsters the mindset needed to leave Phoenix College with the NJCAA Region I, Division II title next weekend.
“I was just telling the sophomores, ‘Remember this feeling,'” Quiroz said. “We went in as No. 2. Winning at Eastern Arizona isn’t easy, either. So it’s kind of like deja vu. I’m so blessed to have the sophomores that I have, because they’ve already been through this fire.”
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Rivera (Sunnyside HS) went 3 for 7 with four RBIs, two runs and two home runs in the two games Tuesday.
Sophomores Talia Martin (Mountain View) and Aubrey Marx (Cienega) combined for eight hits at the top of the order. Sophomore Alyssa Noriega (Pueblo) was 3 for 7 with two RBIs and a run. Freshman Amerika Lopez–Bedoy (Sunnyside) went 3 for 5 with an RBI and two walks. Nunez drew five walks because Phoenix College wanted to avoid her hitting prowess. Freshman Arianna Flores (Salpointe) and sophomore Jessica Thompson (Tanque Verde) took the losses in the circle.
Game 1: No. 5 Phoenix College 4, No. 8 Pima 3: The Aztecs tied the game but the Bears countered and halted the rally in the end.
Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Aztecs got on the board when Martin scored on an error after Marx hit a single to center field. Two batters later, Noriega drove an RBI single to center field to score Marx to tie it at 2.
The Bears retook the lead with two runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Martin hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runner Taiya Teixeira (Salpointe) to get a run back in the bottom of the inning.
Nunez drew a lead-off walk in the seventh inning. Noriega followed with a single to put the winning run on base. The Aztecs had two strikeouts and a flyout to end the game.
Martin finished 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run while Noriega was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Marx went 2 for 4 with a run. Nunez drew three walks.
Flores took the loss as she pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits with five strikeouts on 87 pitches.
Game 2: No. 5 Phoenix College Bears 17, No. 8 Pima 6 (6 innings): The Bears took control with two runs in the first inning and four runs in each the second and third innings.
The Aztecs got on the board when Lopez-Bedoy hit an RBI single in the second inning to score freshman Julissa Lopez (Tucson) as they trailed 6-1 at that point.
Rivera hit her first home run of the game in the fourth inning when she drove a solo shot to left field to make it 10-2.
The Aztecs made it interesting in the fifth inning and did all their damage with two outs.
Marx hit a single and Nunez drew a walk to put a pair of runners on base. Noriega hit an RBI single to bring in Marx. Rivera followed with her second home run of the game as she sent a pitch over the center field fence for a three-run homer, scoring Nunez and Noriega, and cutting the deficit to 10-6.
The Bears countered in the top of the sixth inning with seven runs to help earn the run-rule win.
Rivera finished the game 2 for 3 with four RBIs and two runs. Lopez-Bedoy went 1 for 1 with an RBI and two walks while Noriega was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run. Marx went 2 for 4 with a run.
Thompson (12-1) suffered her first loss of the season as she pitched three innings in relief, giving up seven runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator in 2016 and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District.
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