Pima’s softball team is one win away from an NJCAA Region I, Division II championship Saturday after achieving a victory Friday that earned coach Rebekah Quiroz her 200th win as the Aztecs’ coach.
The No. 2 Aztecs (49-7) defeated No. 4 Scottsdale 8-4 to advance to the championship round Saturday at 11 a.m. at Phoenix College.
They will face No. 3 South Mountain (33-25) for the title. The Aztecs beat the Cougars 6-0 in the opening round Thursday. South Mountain upset No. 1 Phoenix College 5-3 early Friday, eliminating the Bears. The Cougars then beat Scottsdale 11-3 in six innings to advance to the championship round.
If Pima beats South Mountain in the first game, it is the region champion. If South Mountain wins that game, the teams will play a deciding title game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Quiroz, who had 606 wins as an assistant coach to her dad Armando at Pima, has gone 100-29 since winning her 100th game on April. 18, 2023.
Pima battled back from a 2-0 deficit after the top of the first inning against Scottsdale.
Jiselle Nuñez (Tucson High grad) hit her 22nd home run of the season to cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the first.
The Aztecs took the lead for good, 4-2, on a three-run home run by Alyssa Noriega (Pueblo) in the bottom of the third.
After Scottsdale cut the lead to 4-3 in the top of the fourth, Pima pulled away with a four-run fourth.
Cheyanne Ortiz (Tucson) and Talia Martin (Mountain View) each an RBI single in the rally.
Arianna Flores (Salpointe) improved to 20-3, striking out 11 with four walks in her seven innings of work. She allowed four hits and four runs.
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