The Pima Community College baseball team split its ACCAC doubleheader at Glendale on Saturday.
The No. 21 Aztecs (16-7, 9-5 ACCAC) fell short in their rally in the first game but dominated to take the second game. The Aztecs scored 18 runs on 23 hits against Glendale (15-6, 7-5).
Freshman Ezra Vidal (Sahuarita) went 2 for 6 on the day with four RBIs and two runs while freshman Cooper Kruk (Catalina Foothills) finished 4 for 5 with three RBIs and three runs. Freshman Adriel Figueroa-Brito went 4 for 7 with an RBI and three runs, and sophomore Leon Cereceres finished 3 for 7 with an RBI and three runs.
Freshman Westin Thompson was 3 for 7 with two RBIs and two runs. Freshman Aciel Guillen (Salpointe Catholic) was a difference maker on offense in the second game.
Freshman Hayden Green (Sabino) took the loss in the first game while sophomore Owen Myers got the win in the second game.
Game 1: Glendale 7, (21) Pima 6
The Aztecs took an early lead, but the rally fell short in the end.
Vidal put Pima on the board with a two-run double in the first inning, scoring Cereceres and Figueroa-Brito. Kruk followed with an RBI single to drive in Vidal as Pima took a 3-0 lead.
After the Gauchos scored two runs in the bottom of the first, the Aztecs got a run back when Thompson hit a lead-off homer in the second inning to put it at 4-2.
Glendale scored one run in the second inning, three runs in the third and one in the fifth to take the lead.
The Aztecs tried to rally in the sixth inning as Vidal hit an RBI single to score Figueroa-Brito. Freshman Damian Lorta (Desert View) drove an RBI double to bring around Kruk. The Aztecs left the tying run on base and left one runner stranded in the seventh inning.
Vidal finished the game 2 for 3 with three RBIs and a run while Figueroa-Brito closed out the game, going 2 for 3 with two runs. Thompson was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run and Kruk went 1 for 2 with an RBI and a run.
Green took the loss as he pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks on 63 pitches.
Game 2: (21) Pima 12, Glendale 2 (F/5)
The Aztecs took an early lead again but scored eight runs in the fourth inning and three in the fifth inning to earn the run-rule win.
The Aztecs poured it on in the fourth inning as Thompson, Cereceres, Figueroa-Brito and Kruk all had RBI hits in the inning. Guillen capped it off with a three-run shot to left field, scoring Kruk and Glueck to make it 9-0.
Kruk had an RBI double in the fifth inning and sophomore Jackson Glueck followed with a two-run single to right field, bringing around Vidal and Kruk to help seal the game.
Sophomore Max Leyva (Tucson) put Pima on the board in the second inning with an RBI double to plate Guillen.
Guillen finished the game 1 for 2 with three RBIs and three runs. Kruk went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs while Glueck was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and a run. Thompson and Figueroa-Brito each finished the game 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run. Cereceres was 2 for 3 with an RBI and two runs.
Myers picked up the win as he pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up two runs (two earned) on five hits with one strikeout and four walks on 78 pitches.
The Aztecs will be back at the West Campus Aztec Field on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader against Central Arizona. First game starts at 12:00 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Pima (17-4, 11-3 ACCAC) faced a tough test on the road on Saturday as it played an ACCAC doubleheader at Phoenix College (18-2, 12-2). The No. 9 Aztecs got swept by the No. 13 Bears.
The Aztecs had 17 hits on the day but managed just four runs. Sophomore Jiselle Nunez (Tucson) produced a strong second game while sophomore Julissa Lopez (Tucson) finished 2 for 6 with a run. Freshman Soleil Ponce (Sunnyside) was 2 for 5 with two walks. Sophomore Amerika Lopez-Bedoy (Sunnyside) went 2-for-7 with a run.
Sophomore Belen Camacho (Pueblo) and freshman Adriana Machado (Canyon del Oro) took the losses in the circle.
·Game 1: (13) Phoenix 5, (9) Pima 0
The Aztecs stranded six runners on base and had six hits for the game.
The Aztecs left two runners on base in the fifth and seventh innings.
Freshman Alyssa Aguirre (Sabino), Lopez, Ponce, Lopez-Bedoy and freshman Kayla Hendrix (Canyon del Oro) each finished 1 for 3 while freshman Isabel Mendoza (Cienega) was 1 for 2 with a walk.
The Bears scored one run in the first inning and four runs in the fifth.
Camacho took the loss as she pitched four innings, giving up five runs on five hits with two strikeouts and five walks on 80 pitches.
Game 2: (13) Phoenix 7, (9) Pima 4: The Aztecs took an early lead but the Bears rallied in the second and third innings.
Nunez put Pima on the scoreboard with a two-run home run in the first inning that scored Lopez.
Sophomore Clarissa Figueroa (Mountain View) added to the lead in the second inning with an RBI single to score Lopez-Bedoy to make it 3-0.
The Bears tied the game in the bottom of the second inning and scored two more in the third to take a 5-3 advantage.
The Aztecs got a run back in the top of the fourth inning after Figueroa reached base on an error and freshman Isabel Rodriguez (Walden Grove) scored on the play as the Aztecs trailed 5-4. The Bears added two more runs in their part of the fourth.
The Aztecs loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth inning, but two strikeouts and a fielder’s choice play to third base ended the threat. They also had two runners on in the seventh inning, but the tying run lined out to end the game.
Nunez finished the game 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run while Rodriguez went 2 for 4 with a run.
Figueroa was 1 for 4 with an RBI and Lopez went 1 for 3 with a run. Lopez-Bedoy finished 1 for 4 with a run.
Machado suffered her first loss of the season as she pitched two innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on six hits.
The Aztecs will return to the field Saturday, when they play an ACCAC doubleheader at Mesa. First game starts at 12:00 p.m.
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