Freshman Martin Garcia had a hit-by-pitch walk-off with bases loaded in the ninth inning to secure Pima's split against Eastern Arizona College. The Aztecs are now 17-19 overall and 8-16 in ACCAC conference play. Photo by Ben Carbajal
Freshman Martin Garcia had a hit-by-pitch walk-off with bases loaded in the ninth inning to secure Pima's split against Eastern Arizona College. The Aztecs are now 17-19 overall and 8-16 in ACCAC conference play. Photo by Ben Carbajal

Aztecs baseball splits with Eastern Arizona College after Garcia's HBP walk-off

The Pima Community College baseball team (17-19, 8-16 in ACCAC) struggled in its ACCAC conference doubleheader on Tuesday at the West Campus field but found a way to earn the split in the bottom of the ninth.

Game 1: Eastern Arizona College Gila Monsters 8, Pima CC Aztecs 0 (7 innings): The Aztecs managed three hits for the game as they left four runners on base.

Sophomores Oscar Larranaga (Sunnyside HS) and Erick Migueles (Canyon del Oro HS) had lead-off back-to-back singles in the fourth inning but a groundout and a double play ended the threat.

Larranaga was 1 for 3 while Migueles and sophomore Shawn Bracamontes (Sunnyside HS) went 1 for 2.

Sophomore Miguel Figueroa (Tucson HS) took the loss (2-5) after he pitched four innings giving up six runs (five earned) on eight hits with one strikeout and one walk. Freshman Troy Gutbub (Catalina Foothills HS) pitched the final three innings in relief giving up two runs (none earned) on three hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 3, Eastern Arizona College Gila Monsters 2 (9 innings): The Aztecs rallied to score two runs in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

Freshman Martin Garcia (Tucson HS) stepped up with bases loaded and one out and was hit by the first pitch he saw to score Migueles to win it. Freshman Marcus Mendez (Desert View HS) drew a walk in the previous at-bat to plate Larranaga for the game-tying run.

Sophomore Manny Ramirez (Bisbee HS) broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning with an RBI double to score Larranaga, who had doubled earlier in the inning.

Garcia finished 2 for 4 with an RBI while Larranaga was a perfect 4 for 4 with two runs scored and a walk. Ramirez went 2 for 5 with an RBI and Migueles was 0 for 3 with a run scored and two walks.

Sophomore Ernesto Romero (Salpointe Catholic HS) picked up the win in relief (3-0) as he threw the final two innings giving up one run (one earned) on two hits with one strikeout. Freshman Jose Contreras (Tucson HS) started and pitched a solid seven innings giving up one run (one earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

The Aztecs will be back on the road on Saturday when they play at Cochise College in Douglas in an ACCAC doubleheader. The games will be at noon and 2:30 p.m.