SMCC Softball Falls Twice at Pima CC

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College softball team (6-7, 3-3 ACCAC) lost 7-6 and 9-7 in an ACCAC doubleheader in Tucson on Feb. 11. The Cougars carried leads late into both games only to see the Aztecs rally to sweep the doubleheader. Sophomore Jada Montoya had three hits, and sophomore Nadia Rascon blasted a home run in game one. Freshman Alyssa Jemio homered, and Montoya, Rascon, and sophomore Sabrina Erran doubled in game two. 

Game One Recap

Leading 6-5 in the sixth, the Cougars saw the Aztecs collect a two-run, two-out double to post a 7-6 victory. 

SMCC scored twice in the first as Montoya scored on an error, and Michelle Balcazar hit a sacrifice fly to score Sadie Su'a. However, the Aztecs tied the game in their half of the first. 

Rascon launched a two-out, two-run home run in the third, her second home run of the year. SMCC added a run in the fifth when Su'a scored on an error, but Pima scored three times in the fifth to tie the game. 

SMCC made it 6-5 in the top of the sixth on a Su'a RBI single that scored freshman Jerzey Jarvis. However, the Aztecs rallied in the bottom half to reclaim the lead and worked around a one-out walk in the seventh to secure the victory. 

Montoya was 3 for 4 with a double and a run, and Rascon was 1 for 2 with two RBIs and the home run. Sophomore McKenna Kraft went 2 for 4, and freshman Eva Harrison drew three walks. 

Su'a started the game for SMCC and went five innings with nine hits, five earned runs, one walk, and two strikeouts. Jemio (2-1) took the loss with an inning of work, two earned runs, and one strikeout.  

Game Two Recap

The Aztecs spoiled the Cougars' plans for a doubleheader split by hitting a two-out, three-run home run in the sixth to claim a 9-7 victory. 

After Pima CC scored three times in the first inning, SMCC responded with five runs in the third. Montoya doubled to start the frame and scored on an RBI double from Erran, who then scored on an RBI single from Rascon. An error allowed Rascon to score to tie the game, and Jarvis smacked a two-out, two-run single to put SMCC ahead 5-3. 

The Cougars added two more runs in the fourth. Rascon doubled with one out and walked home on a two-out, two-run home run from Jemio, her first of the year. 

Pima CC got the two runs back immediately in their half of the frame and pushed four across in the bottom of the sixth to seal the comeback victory. 

Jemio went a perfect 3 for 3 with the two-run home run, and Erran and Rascon had two hits apiece. 

Sophomore Aryka Ortega (1-2) took the loss with six innings of work. She surrendered 11 hits, five earned runs, one walk, and two strikeouts.