Arias and Hennesy spark rally as Baseball splits at Chandler-Gilbert CC

The Pima Community College baseball team (29-9, 15-7 in ACCAC) was forced to rally in both games on Tuesday at Chandler-Gilbert Community College (22-13, 11-11).
Sophomore Nick Arias (Tucson Magnet HS) finished his day 4 for 9 with four RBIs and three runs scored while freshman Auggie Richie (Sabino HS) and sophomore Sean Farney (Millennium HS) got the decisions on the mound.

• Game 1: (13) Pima CC Aztecs 9, Chandler-Gilbert CC Coyotes 7: The Aztecs rallied from a 6-1 deficit and held off a 9^th inning rally to take the first game.
  The Aztecs got on the board first, but the Coyotes scored three runs in each the 2^nd inning and 3^rd inning.
  The Aztecs slowly chipped away as sophomore Jontae Hennesy (Horizon HS) hit an RBI single in the 4^th inning. Arias hit a lead-off homer in the 5^th inning to cut it to 6-3.
  Hennesy drew a lead-off walk in the 5^th inning and later scored on a fielder's choice to make it 6-4.
  The Aztecs popped off with five runs in the 7^th inning to take the lead. The Aztecs loaded the bases with no outs and Hennesy cleared the bases with a three-run RBI double, bringing around sophomore Brant Kragel, freshman Collin Senior (Horizon HS) and freshman Chase Cummings to put the Aztecs ahead 7-6.
  Hennesy scored on the next at-bat as sophomore Austin Madsen hit an RBI double. Sophomore Elijah Reeves (Marana HS) hit a sacrifice-fly RBI to score Madsen and cap off the inning.
  Richie got the win in relief as he pitched three innings, giving up two hits with one strikeout. Sophomore Garrett Hicks (Verrado HS) picked up his second save of the season after pitching one inning, giving up one run (one earned) on two hits with one strikeout and one walk.

PCC     1 0 0 1 1 1 5   9   13   0
CGCC  0 3 3 0 0 0 1   7   11   2

W – Richie (3-1). S – Hicks (2). 2B: Madsen, Hennesy. HR: Arias.

• Game 2: Chandler-Gilbert CC Coyotes 9, (13) Pima CC Aztecs 6: The Coyotes snapped Pima's seven-game winning streak as they rallied with four unanswered runs in the 8^th inning.
  Arias put Pima on the scoreboard with an RBI single to score Reeves, who was hit-by-a-pitch to open the game. The Coyotes scored four runs in the bottom of the 1^st inning.
  Down 5-2, the Aztecs took the lead with four runs in the 5^th inning. The Aztecs loaded the bases with no outs. Arias hit an RBI single to score Madsen and sophomore Davis Shackelford tied the game at 5-5 with his own two-run RBI double to score Madsen and sophomore Caleb Herd (Cienega HS). Senior grounded-out into a double play but his hit brought in Arias to take the lead.
  The Coyotes took the lead for good with four runs in the 8^th inning.
  Arias finished the game 2 for 5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Shackelford was 2 for 5 with an RBI while Reeves was 2 for 3 with two runs. Madsen and Herd each scored a run.

PCC    1 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0   6   8   2
CGCC 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 x   9  12  1

L – Farney (1-2). 2B: Shackelford.

The Aztecs will be back at the West Campus Aztec Field on Saturday against Scottsdale Community College. Tip off is set for 12:00 p.m.