Aztecs softball rallies from eight runs down to split with Phoenix College

The Pima Community College softball team (17-7, 10-6 in ACCAC) completed a huge rally in the second game on Saturday as the Aztecs split with No. 3 ranked Phoenix College (Division II).

The Aztecs dropped a close first game as freshman pitcher Paige Adair suffered a rare loss and the Aztecs dug out of an eight-run hole to win the second game.

Game 1: (3) Phoenix College Bears 6, Pima CC Aztecs 4: The Bears (14-5, 11-5) took a 4-0 lead after the 3^rd inning as the rally fell short for the Aztecs.

The Aztecs got on the board in the 4^th inning when freshman Mya Cabral (Pueblo HS) and Paige Adair had back-to-back RBI hits to cut Phoenix's lead to 4-2.

Down 6-2 in the 6^th inning, sophomore Edith Prieto (Sunnyside HS) hit a lead-off solo homer. The Aztecs loaded the bases and with two outs and Sarrah Jones hit an RBI single to score pinch runner Ariana Gomez (Sahuaro HS) but the Aztecs could do no further damage.

Prieto went 2 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore Megan Flores (Salpointe Catholic HS) went 2 for 4 with a run scored while Adair finished 2 for 2 with an RBI. Cabral was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.

Adair took the loss (15-2) as she pitched all seven innings giving up six runs (six earned) on 12 hits with four strikeouts and four walks.

PC     0 0 4 0 1 1 0   6 12 0
PCC  0 0 0 2 0 2 0   4  8  1

Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 10, (3) Phoenix College 9 (8 innings): Freshman Maria Vanezza-Caldera (Tucson HS) hit the game-winning sacrifice fly RBI to score freshman Vanessa Duarte (Pueblo HS) in the 8^th inning. The Aztecs rallied back from an 8-0 deficit after the 1^st inning.

Down 9-5 in the 7^th inning, Alizea Durazo-Corday (Pueblo HS) led off the inning with a walk. Sophomore Chandler Arviso (Cibola HS) followed with an RBI triple. With one out, Prieto drew a walk to set up sophomore Alyssa Smith (Winslow HS), who hit a towering three-run home run to tie the game at 9-9.

Smith finished 1 for 3 with three RBIs and a run scored. Durazo-Corday finished 2 for 3 with an RBI double in the 5^th inning. She also scored two runs and hit two doubles. Freshman Alese Casper was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored. She hit an RBI single in the 2^nd inning and an RBI double in the 5^th. Flores went 1 for 2 with two RBIs; a sac-fly RBI in the 1^st and an RBI single in the 2^nd inning.

After surrendering eight runs in the 1^st, Casper settled in and only gave up one run on three hits in the final seven innings. She picked up the win (2-5) after tossing a complete-game giving up nine runs (six earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and eight walks.

PC     8 0 0 0 0 0 1 0   9  6   1
PCC  1 2 0 0 2 0 4 1  10 12 4

The Aztecs will hit the road on Thursday when they play at Glendale Community College. First pitch will be at 1:00 p.m.