Game 1 and 2 of the Coyote Classic vs. tournament host Col- lege of Southern Nevada (Feb. 8)The Aztecs played two double headers in Henderson, Nevada, on Feb. 8 and 9.
The first game of each serieshad seven innings, and the secondgame had nine. The first twogames of the Classic didn’t favor the Aztecs. They got swept away as they had trouble scoring any runs against the Coyotes.
After scoring 4 hits and scoring one unearned run, which meantlosing 5-1 in the first game. Thesecond game, with a score of 6-2,Aztecs hit 2 outfield singles in the fifth and ninth innings.
Game 2-2 of the Coyote Clas- sic vs. Southern Idaho College (Feb. 9)
The Aztecs fared better in the second half of the Coyote Classic on Feb. 9, in a high-scoring slug- fest for the Aztecs and Southern Idaho College.
In the top of the eighth, the Aztecs’ Cole Cummings hit an RBI triple, taking them into extra innings and causing them to winthe first game 8-7.
Alex Ochoa went 3-5 hittinga home run in the first and RBIdoubles in the third and fourth.
Phillip Sikes pitched the last two innings in relief and picked up his second win of the year as well as having two saves this season.
The Aztecs fell behind by 5 runsafter the first but got 3 runs over 6innings, closing the gap 5-3 before going for 7 runs in the last inning with 2 outs. Cummings went aheadto run double, then to finish with
4 RBIs. Ochoa followed with a triple to extend the lead to 7-5.
Aztecs added 3 more runs as they win 10-8.
Austin Bryan earned his third win of the season, improving this record to 3-0.
Game 1 and 2 vs. El Paso (Feb.
1)
Aztecs hit the road for the firsttime this season as they traveled to El Paso, Texas, to play against the EPCC Tejanos in a doubleheader.on Feb.1. Pima lost its first gameof the season, dropping the game 6-4.
Pima got a 3-0 lead in the sec- ond game, scoring one in the open- ing inning from Phillip Sikes’s RBI single. Aztecs gained 2 more runs in the third. However, the Tejanos scored 3 in the fourth, 2 inthe fifth and 1 in the sixth. ConnerNantkes took the loss giving up 5runs, 4 earned over five innings.
Game 3 and 4 (Feb. 2)
Aztecs scored early in the topof the first before the Tejanos tookback the lead tacking on 2 runs, jumping to a 3-1 lead. Aztecs tied it back up by scoring 2 runs in the top of the third and took the lead when Sikes scored on an error in the top of the seventh.
Adam Moraga pitched his second complete game to start the season. Moraga racked up 10 strikeouts and gave up 3 runs and 2 earned.
In the second game, Austin Bry- an shut down El Paso for 6 innings recording 10 strikeouts earning his second win of the season.
Enrique Porchas drove in pitch runner J.J. Roll on the top of thesixth inning, scoring the first runof the game. Porchas then scored on a pass ball, giving the Aztecs
Aztec’s pitching was on point as they racked up 23 tickets.
Mario Macias earned his firstwin of the year for El Paso, and Pablo Contes earned his second save improving their record to 2-3.
Aztecs started the second game falling behind 4-0, giving up 2 un- earned runs after the third inning. The Aztecs won 6-4 as they got on the board with a Sikes solo homer in the fourth.
Freshman Stockton Pringle and Sophomore Richard Ware helped gain 5 more runs in the top of the sixth with 2-run doubles.
Sophomore Matthew Hackman hit the third double in the sixth inning two batters after, adding an insurance run, bringing in Ware. Sikes in took the ball in the last inning, striking out two.
Game 1 and 2 Colorado Northwestern CC (Jan. 26)
The Aztecs started the season with a 4-0 record, sweeping Colo- rado Northwestern Community
College Spartans in two separate doubleheaders. The Aztecs came out swinging and driving in 7 runsin the first inning and tacking onanother 4 in the bottom of the sixthto earn their first run rule victory11-1.
The Aztecs’ opening day starter Conner Nantkes gave up 1 run on 4 hits with 9 strikeouts. Fresh- man Emilio Lovato closed out the game, recording the last 4 outs.
In Game 2, the bats hadn’t cooled off, the Aztecs scored
8 runs in the first and 5 in thesecond. The Aztecs reached a 13-0 lead after two innings. Run support came from Hayden Udall, who pitched a two-hit game shutout as the Aztecs went on to win 16-0 at 19 hits.
Game 3 and 4 (Jan. 27)
The Spartans lost their firstgame of the doubleheader in a run rule shorten beatdown 11-0. Adam Moraga pitched a complete game shutout, giving up 4 hits and strik-
a 2-run lead. Sikes pitched in thefinal inning and struck out the side.
ing out 2 over five innings.The second game, Spartans
gained first lead of the series scor- ing in the opening inning. Smiles were short-lived as the Aztecs knocked out 7 runs in the bottomhalf of the first inning in route to arun rule 11-1 victory.
Sophomore Austin Bryan gaveup a run in the first, picked up his first victory within the fifth inningwhile striking out 9 and walking 5.
“I thought the team played well. They were excited to play another team and did an excellent job,” Pima Head Coach Ken Jacome said