Aztecs Baseball's rally falls short in the 9th inning as Arizona Western forces Game Three

The Pima Community College baseball team (44-16) put together a rally but it wasn't enough on Friday in Game 2 of the NJCAA Region I, Division I Championship Series.

• The No. 3 seeded Aztecs fell to No. 4 seed Arizona Western College 10-6 as the best-of-3 series is now tied at 1-1.
• The Aztecs managed six hits in the first eight innings but had nothing to show for it as the Matadors (35-17) held a 10-0 lead with three runs in the 1^st, one in the 5^th and six runs in the 8^th innings.
• The Aztecs got on the board when sophomore Braedon Mondeau (Cienega HS) hit a one-out RBI triple to score sophomore Rocco Gump (Seton Catholic HS). Mondeau was driven in by freshman Antonio Avila, who hit a two-run homer to left field to make it 10-3.
• With two outs in the inning, sophomores Gage Mestas and Andrew Stucky (Canyon del Oro HS) hit back-to-back singles. Sophomore Hunter Faildo took advantage and drove an RBI double to plate Mestas. Freshman Benji Cazares (Tucson Magnet HS) followed suit with a two-run RBI single to bring around Stucky and Faildo. That's as close as the Aztecs would get as freshman David Shackelford popped out in foul territory to end the game.
• "We didn't get the win at the end of the day and we're going to come out tomorrow strong. Putting up six in the 9^th is definitely going to give us some momentum to get the bats out early tomorrow," sophomore infielder Braedon Mondeau said. "They had a good arm on the mound (Roland Marte). He's beat us a couple times this year just mixing up speeds and keeping us off balance."
• Marte pitched eight innings, giving up six hits with five strikeouts for the Matadors.
• Mondeau finished the game 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored while Avila went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run. Cazares was 1 for 5 with two RBIs.
• Faildo provided Pima's first hit of the game to leadoff the 4^th inning and closed out the game going 2 for 5 with an RBI. Mestas, Stucky and Gump each scored a run.
• Sophomore Anthony Imhoff (Queen Creek HS) took the loss (1-1) as he pitched four and two-third innings, giving up four runs (four earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
• "We're going to come out confident tomorrow," Mondeau said. "This is our field, and we get to play for a region championship."

The Aztecs and the Matadors will face off one more time in the deciding Game 3 for the NJCAA Region I, Division I Championship. First pitch is at noon at the West Campus Aztec Baseball Field.

AWC   3 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 0   10 15 2
PCC     0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6    6  13 0

L – Imhoff (1-1). 2B: Faildo. 3B: Mondeau. HR: Avila. SB: Avila.