Online Extra: Softball plays the waiting game

By James Kelley
Photos by James Kelley

The Pima Community College softball team’s young season has been a lesson in extremes, just not on the field.

The Aztecs (12-2, 3-1 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) have continued to excel on the field, at least when they have gotten to play games on it.

Pima’s double-header against Scottsdale Community College on Feb. 20, which would have been its first game in a week, was postponed due to rain. It will be made up Feb. 25.

Then, its Feb. 23 meeting with rival Yavapai College, currently No. 1 in Division I, was also postponed. A new date has not yet been set.

PCC opened the season playing eight games over five days. In the next two weeks, the team has 16 games.

“I don’t think it will affect us,” head coach Armando Quiroz said about the time off. “The girls are focused.”

Quiroz said the schedule, light in February and heavy in March, was not by design. It just worked out that way because out-of-state teams come to play in March.

Domonique Marquez

In the Aztecs’ last game, on Feb. 13, Pima split a conference doubleheader with Phoenix College, which is No. 2 in Division II. Pima won the first game 4-3 in eight innings, but lost the second game 8-4.

Sophomore pitcher Jordan Trujillo (6-0) struck out nine of the Bears’ hitters in the first game. Sophomore outfielder Chelsea Slama went 4-5 and freshman infielder Mercedes Garcia went 2-4.

Freshman pitcher Adrianna Garcia (6-2) had a rough outing in the nightcap. Sophomore catcher Melina Trujillo went 3-4, with an RBI, and sophomore outfielder Claudia Nunez went 2-2.

“I think Phoenix College is a very good team and I think we are a very good team as well,” Quiroz said. “I think it was a very good learning experience for our young players, that the day is not over after the first win. It is only half over.”

On Feb. 12, the Aztecs blasted El Paso Community College at home, sweeping a doubleheader, 16-0 in five innings and then 8-4. Jordan Trujillo and sophomore Iliana Teran combined to pitch a two-hitter.

“El Paso’s a team that we are familiar with—that we have played the last couple of years. They always put up a good battle, they played us tough last year,” Quiroz said. “I think it was a good experience for our young girls, to see some out-of-state teams like we did in Vegas. The more out-of-state teams we see, the more they realize ‘hey, we’re not bad.’”

The Aztecs get busy over the next two weeks. On Feb. 27 they host Arizona Western at noon and on March 1 they host Lake Michigan College at 2 p.m. On March 2, they host South Mountain Community College at 2 p.m.

Two days later, on March 4, they head to Central Arizona College, and then on March 6 they travel to Mesa Community College. On March 8, they play Delta College at home at 2 p.m. A day later, they go to Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

Jordan Trujillo is the No. 13 pitcher in the country in strike outs, with 1.38 per inning. Kaity Ingram is 22nd in stolen bases, with six out of seven attempts.

Sophomore infielder Ena Pacheco and freshman utility Charissa Ballesteros are 24th and 25th in home runs, respectively. They are tied at 19th in RBIs with 14.

As a team, Pima has the 10th best record in the country in terms of winning percentage and is seventh in batting average, hitting .387. The team is eighth in fielding percentage.