Corona hits her 14th home run but the Aztecs are swept at Central Arizona College

The Pima Community College softball team (29-16, 23-13 in ACCAC) fell to a red-hot Central Arizona College team (37-6, 31-3) on Tuesday in Coolidge.

Sophomore Margarita Corona (Tucson HS) had a good day at the plate for the Aztecs going 4 for 5 with two RBIs, two runs scored, a home run and a double. The Vaqueras have won 18 straight games.

Game 1: (16) Central Arizona College Vaqueras 4, Pima CC Aztecs 2: The Aztecs took a 2-1 lead after the top half of the fifth inning but the Vaqueras countered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.

Corona tied the game with a solo home run in the fourth inning and freshman Edith Prieto (Sunnyside HS) put the Aztecs ahead with a sacrifice-fly RBI in the fifth.

The Aztecs managed three hits for the game as Corona finished 1 for 2 with an RBI and a run scored. Freshman Megan Flores (Salpointe Catholic HS) and sophomore Mari Ruiz (Cholla HS) had the other hits for Pima.

Sophomore Bailey Critchlow took the loss (14-7) as she pitched a complete-game giving up four runs (three earned) on nine hits with one strikeout.

Game 2: (16) Central Arizona College Vaqueras 12, Pima CC Aztecs 4 (5 innings): The Aztecs took the lead on two occasions but the Vaqueras scored at least one run in each inning. They took control with seven runs in the third inning.

Corona put the Aztecs on the board in the top of the first inning with an RBI single. With the game tied at 2-2 in the top of the third, sophomore Gabriela Trejo (Desert View HS) hit a two-run RBI triple.

The Vaqueras scored one run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth inning to secure the run-rule win.

Corona finished 3 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored while Trejo was 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Sophomore Courtney Brown (Flowing Wells HS) went 1 for 2 with two runs scored while Critchlow finished 1 for 2 with a run scored.

Freshman Mandy Lorenson (Ironwood Ridge HS) took the loss (9-5) as she started the game and pitched two and one-third innings giving up five runs (four earned) on one hit with three strikeouts and seven walks. Sophomore Luisa Silvain (Cholla HS) threw the final two and one-third innings giving up seven runs (three earned) on seven hits with one strikeout and two walks.

The Aztecs will play their fourth straight road doubleheader on Saturday as they travel to Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher. The games will be at 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.