Figueroa dominates as Aztecs baseball sweeps Chandler-Gilbert to end season
The Pima Community College baseball team closed out the 2017 season on a high note on Saturday at Chandler-Gilbert Community College (30-25, 21-19).
The Aztecs played a dramatic first game and broke their seven-game losing streak in extra innings and the momentum carried into the second game.
Sophomore Miguel Figueroa (Tucson HS) went 4 for 9 with four RBIs, drove in the eventual game-winning run, hit a home run and picked up a win on the mound.
Game 1: Pima CC Aztecs 4, Chandler-Gilbert CC Coyotes 3 (13 innings): Figueroa hit an RBI single with two outs to score sophomore Anthony Felix (Canyon del Oro HS) in the 13th inning. The Coyotes were set down in order in the bottom half of the inning.
Figueroa kept the Aztecs in it as he tied the game at 2-2 in the seventh inning with a solo home run to left field with one out.
The Aztecs took the lead in the top of the eighth inning when sophomore Erick Migueles (Canyon del Oro HS) hit an RBI single to score Felix but the Coyotes forced extra innings with a run in the bottom of the eighth.
Down 2-0 in the fifth inning, freshman Kyle Rivera (Tucson HS) put the Aztecs on the board with a sacrifice-fly RBI to score sophomore Shawn Bracamontes (Sunnyside HS), who drew a walk earlier in the inning.
The Aztecs got two solid pitching performances from Figueroa and fellow sophomore Ernesto Romero (Salpointe Catholic HS). Figueroa picked up the win (3-8) after he threw six innings in relief giving up one run (one earned) on two hits with six strikeouts and four walks. Romero started the game and pitched seven innings giving up two runs (two earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts and five walks.
Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 9, Chandler-Gilbert CC Coyotes 6 (7 innings): Figueroa drove in another couple of runs as the Aztecs rallied and held off a late surge.
Down 3-1 in the fourth inning, the Aztecs took the lead with four runs. With the bases loaded, freshman Marcus Mendez (Desert View HS) was hit by a pitch and freshman Jesus Solis (Nogales HS), sophomore Oscar Larranaga (Sunnyside HS) and Migueles followed with three straight walks to put the Aztecs up 5-3.
Freshman Logan Klunder led off the fifth with a solo home run. Bracamontes followed with a triple and pinch runner Marco Prieto (Pueblo HS) scored on a wild pitch later in the inning to make it 7-3.
Up 8-6 in the seventh inning, Larranaga added an insurance run when he hit an RBI double to plate Rivera, who led off the inning with a walk.
Figueroa finished 2 for 4 with two RBI singles in the first and sixth innings. Larranaga also finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Migueles was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored while Klunder finished 1 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Rivera scored two runs and drew two walks.
Freshman pitcher Jose Contreras (Tucson HS) picked up the win (6-2) as he pitched a complete-game giving up six runs (three earned) on seven hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.
The Aztecs finished the season at 20-32 overall and 11-29 in ACCAC conference play.