Aztecs Baseball Rallies After First Game to Earn Split Against No. 8 Mesa CC
The Pima Community College baseball team (28-20, 15-17 in ACCAC) played in its 13th ACCAC conference split on Saturday as Pima hosted No. 8 ranked Mesa Community College (32-14, 18-13).
The Aztecs were shutout in the first game but bounced back with a fury in the second game.
Game 1: Mesa CC Thunderbirds 4, Pima CC Aztecs 0
The Aztecs' offense was shut down in the first game as they managed just one hit against Mesa pitcher Kent Hasler. Freshman Anthony Felix (Canyon del Oro HS) hit an infield single in the first inning. The other base runner for the Aztecs was sophomore Frankie Ortiz (Ironwood Ridge HS), who reached first base after a dropped third strike to lead off the second inning.
Freshman Andres Hackman (Empire HS) took the loss (7-2) as he pitched a complete-game giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts and three walks.
Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 13, Mesa CC Thunderbirds 8
The Aztecs took a big lead after scoring eight runs in the third inning and four runs in the fourth. Ortiz had a two-run RBI single to score freshman Manny Ramirez (Bisbee HS) and sophomore Francisco Rodriguez (Tucson Magnet HS) to make it 5-2 in the third inning. Later in the inning, Felix hit his own two-run RBI single to plate Ortiz and freshman Oscar Larranaga (Sunnyside HS) to put the score at 8-2. Felix had three RBIs in the third inning.
In the fourth inning, Larranaga hit a bases loaded two-run RBI single which was followed by sophomore Ivan Estrella's two-run RBI single which made it 12-3. Pima led 13-3 after the fifth inning. The Thunderbirds scored four in the sixth and one in the seventh inning.
Felix finished 1 for 5 with three RBIs and a run scored while Larranaga went 1 for 3 with two RBI, three runs scored and two walks. Ramirez was 1 for 3 with two RBIs, two runs scored and two walks and Estrella went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a walk. Ortiz finished 1 for 3 with two RBIs, a run scored and two walks.
Freshman pitcher Miguel Figueroa (Tucson Magnet HS) picked up the win (3-6) as he started and went five and one-third innings giving up seven runs (six earned) on six hits with seven strikeouts and five walks. Sophomore Xander Carrillo (Tucson Magnet HS) closed it out, pitching the final three and one-third innings giving up one run (none earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts.
The Aztecs will play at Paradise Valley Community College in an ACCAC doubleheader on Tuesday in Phoenix. The games will be at noon and 2:30 p.m.
Manny Ramirez/Photo by Ben Carbajal
