Cruz and Ortiz Help Aztecs Baseball Earn Split
The Pima Community College baseball team played two non-conference games at South Mountain Community College on Thursday against the host school (16-12) and Seminole State College (OK) (19-6).
Game 1: South Mountain CC Cougars 5, Pima CC Aztecs 2
The Aztecs struck in the first inning with two runs but the offense was stymied after that. Sophomore Ivan Estrella (Tucson Magnet HS) earned a walk and scored on a passed ball. Later in the inning, freshman Manny Ramirez hit a sacrifice-fly RBI to score fellow freshman Anthony Felix (Canyon del Oro HS) to make it 2-0. The Aztecs finished the game with two hits.
Estrella and Felix each finished 1-for-2 with a run scored.
Sophomore Daniel Tolano (Cholla HS) took the loss (4-2) as he pitched three and one-third innings giving up four runs (four earned) on two hits with one strikeout and five walks. Freshman Ernesto Romero (Salpointe Catholic HS) pitched the final two and two-third innings giving up one run (none earned) on two hits with six strikeouts.
Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 7, Seminole State College Trojans 4
The Aztecs fell behind in the top of the fourth inning but responded with six runs in the bottom half. Sophomore Al Cruz (Nogales HS) capped off the inning with a two-run RBI double to score Felix and fellow sophomore Ryan Ramsower (Salpointe Catholic HS) to make it 6-1. Freshman Oscar Larranaga (Sunnyside HS) and Felix hit back-to-back RBI triples and sophomore Gabe Mada (Nogales HS) contributed with an RBI single.
In the fifth inning, sophomore Frankie Ortiz (Ironwood Ridge HS) hit a leadoff home run to make it 7-1.
Cruz finished the game 1-for-3 with two RBIs while Ortiz went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Felix was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Freshman Andres Hackman (Empire HS) picked up the win and improved to 5-0 on the season. He pitched six innings giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits with four strikeouts and six walks.
The Aztecs will get back to ACCAC conference play on Tuesday when they host Scottsdale Community College at the West Campus. The games will be at noon and 2:30 p.m.
Al Cruz/Photo by Ben Carbajal
