SMCC Baseball Splits League Series with GateWay CC

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College baseball team (26-12, 18-4 ACCAC) split a two-game ACCAC series with GateWay CC, falling 12-11 on Mar. 21 before rebounding for a 9-3 victory on Mar. 22. The Geckos staged a late rally in the Mar. 21 contest, scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth and holding off a Cougar rally in the ninth to post the victory. The next day, freshman Bryan Lorenz and sophomore Christopher Mata hit home runs as SMCC claimed the season series with GWCC. 

Mar. 21 Recap

The Cougars trailed 4-2 after three innings but scored six over the next two frames to take an 8-5 lead after five. However, the Geckos scored four in the sixth, and although the Cougars scored a run in the seventh and eighth, they went ahead for good with three in the eighth. 

SMCC pushed one across in the ninth and loaded the bases with one out, putting the tying run on third. However, the Geckos got a strikeout and groundout to end the game. 

Freshman Drew Johnson led the charge offensively for SMCC< finishing 3 for 5 with a run and an RBI. Freshman Nuri Todd went 2 for 5 with two RBIs, a run, and two stolen bases, and sophomore Raul Parada and freshman Bobby Pierce Jr. hit triples. Lorenz had a pair of RBIs, and sophomore Luke Jones scored twice to go with a double. 

Freshman Sam Yeager took the loss for SMCC, allowing two hits, three earned runs, and two walks. Freshman Michael Caruso started the game for SMCC and went 2.1 innings with seven hits, two earned runs, two walks, and a strikeout.

Freshman Grant Young went 3.1 innings in relief with two hits, three earned runs, three walks, and two strikeouts, while freshman Braeden McCarroll went 1.1 innings with three hits, one earned run, and one strikeout. Sophomore Matt Eliiot got the final two outs of the eighth, recording a strikeout.  

Mar. 22 Recap

The Cougars bounced back with a 9-3 victory over the Geckos, getting a five-run third and three-run seventh to power to the win. 

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, Pierce Jr. singled and moved to second on an error to start the frame. He quickly scored on an RBI single from sophomore Joe Terranova, and after sophomore Raul Parada singled, Lorenz cleared the bases with a three-run home run to put SMCC ahead 4-1. Johnson later scored in the inning on a wild pitch to extend the Cougar lead. 

After GWCC cut the lead to 5-3 in the fourth, SMCC added a run in the fifth when Mata smashed a solo blast on the first pitch of the inning. 

The Cougars loaded the bases with no outs to start the seventh. Lorenz hit a slow roller up the third-base line that the fielder retrieved cleanly, but the throw went up the right-field line to clear the bases.

Pierce Jr. reached base safely in all six plate appearances, finishing 2 for 2 with two runs, four walks, and a double. Lorenz was 2 for 4 with four RBIs and the home run, while Terranova was 2 for 5 with two runs, an RBi, and a walk. Parada scored twice and drew two walks. 

Freshman Thomas Peck earned the win with 4.1 innings of relief work. He scattered five hits, two earned runs, and two walks to go with three strikeouts. Sophomore Fabian Ibarra started for SMCC and went 1.2 innings with two hits, one earned run, and two strikeouts. 

Mata earned his third save of the year with three innings of hitless relief. He walked two and fanned one.