Aztecs Softball Takes Second Place at Region I, Division II Tournament
The Pima Community College softball team (47-19-1) earned a blowout victory to advance to the NJCAA Region I, Division II Tournament championship round on Saturday but fell short in the end against No. 1 seed Phoenix College.
The Aztecs had to beat the Bears twice to win the region title but took second place for the second straight year playing in the Division II playoffs.
Championship round: Phoenix College Bears 11, Pima CC Aztecs 3
The Aztecs surrendered four two-run home runs to the Bears in the game. Phoenix College scored two runs in each the first, second and fourth innings. They scored five in the third inning. The Aztecs put a runner on base in each of the first three innings but couldn't bring them in.
The Aztecs produced a rally in the fifth inning with the bases loaded. Sophomore Araceli Peralta (Tucson Magnet HS) hit an RBI single to drive in fellow sophomore Kalynn Martinez (Sunnyside HS) to put the Aztecs on the board. Freshman Bailey Critchlow hit a groundout RBI to plate sophomore Morgan Engelhardt. Sophomore Christine Olivas (Hamilton HS) followed with an RBI single to drive in freshman Mary Tom (Mountain View HS) but Peralta was called out at home to halt the rally.
Peralta went 1 for 3 with an RBI and a stolen base while Critchlow finished 1 for 3 with an RBI and a double. Olivas was 1 for 2 with an RBI and a walk and Engelhardt went 1 for 2 with a run scored.
The pitching staff struggled with the Phoenix College hitters. Sophomore Odalis Orduno (Desert View HS) took the loss (23-9) as she started and went one inning giving up four runs (four earned) on five hits. Critchlow came in for relief and threw one and one-third innings giving up five runs (five earned) on seven hits with one strikeout. Freshman Luisa Silvain (Cholla HS) pitched the final three and two-third innings giving up two runs (two earned) on three hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
Elimination game: Pima CC Aztecs 14, Glendale CC Gauchos 0 (5 innings)
The Aztecs got revenge on the Gauchos for their loss in the first game of the tournament. Pima dominated to score six runs in the third inning and eight runs in the fourth to help secured the mercy-rule victory.
The Aztecs loaded the bases with no outs in the third as Critchlow hit an RBI single to put Pima on the board. Olivas followed with a two-run RBI double. Freshman Margarita Corona (Tucson Magnet HS) made it 4-0 with a sacrifice-fly RBI to score Critchlow. Later in the inning, Martinez and freshman Gabriella Gorosave hit back-to-back RBI singles.
In the fourth inning, the Aztecs got four straight RBI singles from Olivas, Corona, freshman Gabriela Trejo (Desert View HS) and Martinez. Gorosave followed by driving in two-runs which set up freshman Amy Pacheco's two-run homer.
Olivas went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Gorosave was 2 for 3 with three RBIs and a run scored. Martinez was 3 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored while Pacheco finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Trejo went 3 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Corona finished 1 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored and Peralta went 3 for 4 with two runs scored.
Orduno was solid as she picked up the win (23-8) throwing four innings giving up one hit with four strikeouts. Silvain closed it out in the fifth giving up one hit with one strikeout.
The Aztecs have finished with more than 45 wins in a season in seven of the last eight years.
Christine Olivas/Photo by Ben Carbajal
