Aztecs Baseball strands 13 on base in loss to South Mountain CC in Zinger Classic Final

The Pima Community College baseball team suffered its first blemish of the season on Sunday in the Zinger Classic Championship Game at Sloan Park.

• The Aztecs got blanked by South Mountain Community College 5-0.
• The Cougars scored two runs in each the 2^nd and 3^rd innings and tacked on another run in the 4^th.
• The Aztecs stranded 13 runners on base for the game. The 3^rd inning was the only instance where the Aztecs went down in order.
• Freshman Antonio Avila reached on a leadoff walk in the 9^th inning. With out one, sophomore Gage Mestas also got on with a walk. Sophomore Hunter Faildo was hit by a pitch with two outs to load the bases, but freshman Benji Cazares (Tucson Magnet HS) struck out to end the threat and the game.
• The Aztecs finished with six hits and seven walks. Mestas went 2 for 4 with a walk. Sophomore Braedon Mondeau (Cienega HS) was 1 for 5 and had two stolen bases. Avila and freshman David Shackelford each were 1 for 3 with a walk. Sophomore Luis Garcia finished 1 for 2 with a walk.
• Freshman Alessandro Castro (Pusch Ridge Christian HS) took the loss (1-1) as he pitched three and one-third innings giving up five runs (five earned) on nine hits with one strikeout and one walk. The bullpen comprised of freshman J.T. Drake, and sophomores Anu Reis, Dayne Pengelly and Joey Adge combine to pitch five and two-third innings giving up no runs on six hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

The Aztecs open ACCAC conference play on Saturday when they host No. 1 ranked Central Arizona College, who were the 2022 NJCAA Division I National Champions. The doubleheader will take place at the West Campus Aztec Baseball Field. First game starts at 11:00 a.m.

SMCC   0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0    5 11 0
PCC      0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    0  6  2

L – A. Castro (1-1). SB: Mondeau 2, Madsen