Casper and Vanezza-Caldera lead Aztecs softball in sweep over South Mountain
The Pima Community College softball team picked up an ACCAC doubleheader sweep against South Mountain Community College (7-24, 4-19) on Tuesday at the West Campus Softball Field.
Maria Vanezza-Caldera (Tucson HS) finished the day 5 for 6 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Freshman Alese Casper picked up two wins on the mound to even up her record. On offense, Casper scored two runs and had three stolen bases.
Game 1: Pima CC Aztecs 2, South Mountain CC Cougars 0: Casper threw a four-hit shutout as she finished with four strikeouts and two walks. She improved to 4-5 on the season.
The Aztecs got on the board in the 1st inning with two outs. Casper led off with a single and scored with two outs after Maria Vanezza-Caldera (Tucson HS) hit an RBI single.
The Aztecs tacked on another run in the 5th inning. Caldera drew a walk with two outs and sophomore MaryAlys Julian (Gila Ridge HS) reached on an error. Sophomore Alyssa Smith (Winslow HS) hit a sharp RBI single to plate Caldera.
The Aztecs finished with seven hits. Casper went 2 for 4 with a run scored and three stolen bases while Caldera finished 1 for 2 with an RBI and a run scored. Freshman Mya Cabral (Pubelo HS) was 1 for 3 with an RBI.
SMCC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2
PCC 1 0 0 0 1 0 x 4 7 1
Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 7, South Mountain CC Cougars 5: The Aztecs got on the scoreboard in the 1st inning with three runs and held off a rally from the Cougars.
Cabral hit an RBI double that was followed by Vanezza-Caldera's two-run RBI double to put that Aztecs up 3-0. Smith hit a sacrifice-fly RBI in the 3rd inning to plate Vanezza-Caldera.
The Cougars cut into Pima's lead with three runs in the 5th inning to make it 4-3. The Aztecs responded with three runs of their own in the 6th.
Cabral hit a groundout but Casper was able to score. Vanezza-Caldera and freshman Sarrah Jones hit back-to-back RBI singles to widen the gap.
Vanezza-Caldera finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs, a run scored and two doubles. Cabral was 1 for 2 with two RBIs and a run scored. Jones went 3 for 4 with an RBI while sophomore Edith Prieto (Sunnyside HS) finished 2 for 2 with two runs scored, two walks and a double.
Casper picked up the win (5-5) after she pitched a complete-game giving up five runs (five earned) on 12 hits with four strikeouts.
SMCC 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 5 12 0
PCC 3 0 1 0 0 3 x 7 11 0
The Aztecs will be back at the West Campus on Thursday when they host a non-conference doubleheader against Williston State College. The first game begins at 1:00 p.m.
