By Raymond Suarez
The Pima Community College baseball team (14-6, 9-5 in ACCAC) earned its second straight ACCAC sweep on Saturday as it defeated Yavapai College (12-11, 7-7).
Freshman Romeo Ballesteros (Salpointe Catholic HS) provided some clutch hitting going 3 for 6 with three RBIs. Freshman Parker Schmidt finished the day 2 for 8 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Sophomores Angel Ochoa (Canyon del Oro HS) and Terrell Huggins (Cienega HS) did their damage at the plate in the second game.
Game 1: Pima CC Aztecs 5, Yavapai College Roughriders 4 (8 innings)
Ballesteros sealed the win with an RBI single in the 8th inning bringing in freshman Fernando Loera.
The Aztecs trailed 3-0 after the 1st inning and responded with four runs in the 2nd.
Ochoa, Huggins and Ballesteros drew walks to load the bases. Ochoa scored on a passed ball. Huggins scored on Schmidt’s fielder’s choice. Schmidt later scored on a passed ball to tie the game. Freshman Jose Enriquez hit an RBI double to drive in freshman Alex Kelch (Tucson Magnet HS) to give the Aztecs a 4-3 lead.
Ballesteros finished 2 for 3 with an RBI and a walk. Enriquez went 1 for 4 with an RBI while Kelch was 1 for 3 with a run. Schmidt was 0 for 3 but had an RBI, a run and a walk.
Freshman Bradon Zastow (1-2) threw a complete-game giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits with nine strikeouts and three walks on 132 pitches.
YAV 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 7 2
PCC 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 5 2
Game 2: Pima CC Aztecs 12, Yavapai College Roughriders 10 (7 innings)
The Aztecs held off a late surge from the Roughriders, who scored five runs in the 7th inning.
The Aztecs’ big inning came in the 4th when they put up seven runs to take a 10-2 lead. Ochoa and Schmidt each hit 2-run RBI singles while Enriquez, Huggins and sophomore JJ Rollon (Skyline HS) each contributed with RBI singles. All seven of Pima’s runs in the inning came with two outs.
The Aztecs scored another two runs in the 6th inning as Schmidt hit a 2-run RBI single to score Ochoa and Huggins to make it 12-5.
Schmidt also hit an RBI triple in the 2nd inning as he finished 2 for 5 with three RBIs and a run scored. Ochoa and Huggins combined to go 6 for 6 with four RBIs and six runs. Rollon was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Ballesteros and Kelch each went 1 for 3. Ballesteros had two RBIs. Enriquez was 1 for 4 with an RBI.
Sophomore Noah Estrella (Flowing Wells HS) improved to 3-0 on the season as he pitched five and one-third innings giving up three runs (three earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts and five walks on 92 pitches. Freshman Wilson Bannister closed out the game and earned his first save going two-thirds of the 7th with one hit, one strikeout and one walk.
YAV 1 0 1 0 0 3 5 10 12 1
PCC 0 3 0 7 0 2 x 12 14 2
The Aztecs are back at the West Campus Aztec Baseball Field part of the Chapman Auto Sports Complex on Tuesday when they play GateWay Community College. First pitch is at noon.