Mondeau homers, Hardy and Cornelius pick up wins as Pima Baseball sweeps 2023 opener
The Pima Community College baseball team (2-0) opened the 2023 season with a sweep on the road on Saturday in Phoenix.
The Aztecs took two games against Paradise Valley Community College in a non-conference doubleheader. Sophomore Braedon Mondeau (Cienega HS) finished the day 3 for 7 with two RBIs, a run, two walks and two steals. Freshman Antonio Avila closed out the day 4 for 9 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Sophomores Wyatt Hardy and Matthew Cornelius picked up the wins on the mound.
- Game 1: Pima CC Aztecs 8, Paradise Valley CC Pumas 6 (7 innings): Avila cleared the bases with a 3-run RBI double with two outs in the 5th inning to break the 4-4 scoring freshman David Shackelford, freshman Benji Cazares (Tucson Magnet HS) and sophomore Rocco Gump (Seton Catholic HS).
The Aztecs scored one more insurance run in the 6th inning when sophomore Andrew Stucky (Canyon del Oro HS) hit an RBI single to drive in sophomore Gage Mestas to make it 8-4.
Down 1-0, the Aztecs posted a 4-spot in the 2nd inning. Mestas hit a sacrifice-fly RBI to bring in sophomore Andrew Maxwell to make it 2-1 and Mondeau followed with a two-run homerun to right field to cap it off.
Mondeau finished 1 for 3 with two RBIs, a run and a walk. Cazares was 2 for 3 with two runs and a walk. Avila went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and a run scored. Stucky was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a walk.
Hardy pitched in relief and got the win (1-0) going one and two-third innings giving up two hits with one strikeout. Freshman J.T. Drake got the save as he pitched the seventh inning to close it out.
PCC 0 4 0 0 3 1 0 8 9 1
PVCC 1 0 0 3 0 2 0 6 7 3
W – Hardy (1-0). SV – Drake (1). 2B: Avila. HR: Mondeau. SB: Reeves, Mestas, Avila.
- Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 5, Paradise Valley CC Pumas 2: Sophomore Luis Garcia (Salpointe Catholic HS) and Mestas hit back-to-back RBI singles in the 6th inning to give the Aztecs some insurance. Gump and Garcia scored the runs.
The Aztecs got on the board in the 3rd inning when Stucky hit a groundout to plate Mestas, who had drawn a walk and stolen third base while on the basepaths. Freshman Jontae Hennesy (Horizon HS) and Garcia brought in runs in the 4th inning to give Pima a 4-0 advantage.
Garcia finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs, a run and two steals. Mondeau went 2 for 4 with a walk and two steals. Avila was 2 for 5 with a run scored while Gump closed it out going 2 for 3 with a run and a walk. Mestas went 1 for 4 with an RBI, a run and two steals.
Cornelius (1-0) started the game and threw a strong four innings giving up one run (one earned) on three hits with seven strikeouts and two walks on 74 pitches. Freshman Garrett Hicks (Verrado HS) closed out the game and picked up the save after he tossed the final four innings giving up one hit with two strikeouts on 51 pitches.
PCC 0 0 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 5 12 1
PVCC 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 6 2
W – Cornelius (1-0). SV – Hicks (1). SB: Mondeau 2, Garcia 2, Mestas 2.
The Aztecs play their home opener on Saturday when they host a doubleheader against Paradise Valley Community College at the West Campus Aztec Field. First game starts at 11:00 a.m. Second game is estimated to start around 2:00 p.m.
