The Pima Community College baseball team picked up its first ACCAC conference sweep on Tuesday against Paradise Valley at the West Campus Aztec Field.
The No. 21 Aztecs (10-3, 3-1 in ACCAC) rallied back in both games against the Pumas (7-8, 2-2).
Sophomore Mike Jones (Canyon del Oro) closed out the day going 6 for 7 with two RBIs and two runs. Freshman Cooper Kruk (Catalina Foothills) finished 4-for-6 with an RBI and three runs. Sophomore Leon Cereceres went 3 for 6 with two RBIs and three runs.
Sophomore Shawn Barros (Salpointe) picked up the win in his start and sophomore Kai Fitak got the win in the second game in his relief appearance.
Game 1: (21) Pima 9, Paradise Valley 4
The Pumas scored three runs in the first inning and led 4-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Aztecs loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth. Freshman Adriel Figueroa-Brito hit a sacrifice fly to score Jones. Freshman Damian Lorta (Desert View) followed with a three-run home run as he drove the first pitch he saw to center field to give Pima a 6-4 lead.
The Aztecs scored another three runs in the fifth inning. Sophomore Ramon Martinez hit an RBI single to bring in fellow sophomore Max Leyva (Tucson). Cereceres followed with a two-run single, bringing around Jones and Martinez.
Jones finished 3 for 3 with two runs. Cereceres went 2 for 2 with two RBIs and two runs while Lorta was 1 for 3 with three RBIs and a run. Martinez had an RBI single, two runs and two walks. Kruk was 2 for 3.
Barros picked up the win as he pitched four innings, giving up four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts on 60 pitches. Sophomore Cam Grenert got the save as he threw three innings, giving up one hit with four strikeouts on 48 pitches.
Game 2: (21) Pima 5, Paradise Valley 3
The Aztecs rallied with two runs in the eighth inning to take the lead for good as Fitak held off the Paradise Valley rally.
Trailing 3-2 in the sixth inning, freshman Juan Hernandez (Tucson) hit a sacrifice fly to score Kruk to tie the game at 3.
The Pumas loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth inning. Fitak got a strikeout and a double play to end the threat.
The Aztecs capitalized in the bottom-half of the eighth. Jones hit a two-run RBI single to score Kruk and freshman Aciel Guillen (Salpointe) to give Pima the lead for good.
The Pumas had two runners on base and Fitak got Paradise Valley to hit two straight fielder’s choice plays that both went to second base to end the game.
Kruk hit a solo home run in the first inning and finished 2 for 3 with an RBI and three runs. Jones was 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Cereceres went 1 for 4 with a run while sophomore Jackson Glueck was 2 for 4.
Fitak pitched the final two innings, giving up three hits with one strikeout and one walk on 29 pitches. Freshman Jesse Neretlis didn’t get the decision but pitched seven innings, giving up three runs (none earned) on five hits with two strikeouts and one walk on 91 pitches.
The Aztecs will hit the road for the first time this season on Saturday when they play an ACCAC doubleheader against Chandler-Gilbert. The first game starts at 12:00 p.m.
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