Online Extra: Softball off to soaring start

Story and Photos by James Kelley

The Pima Community College softball team started the season unranked but is nonetheless off to a near-perfect start, dominating the national stats and doing so excitingly.

The Aztecs (9-1, 2-0 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) opened conference play on Feb. 9 at Glendale Community College in style, winning 3-0 and 9-4.

Sophomore pitcher Jordan Trujillo (4-0) pitched a no hitter in the first game. In the second, the Aztecs lit up the Gaucho pitching.

Sophomore infielder Kaity Ingram had four RBIs, three coming off a triple that was a foot away from a home run. Freshman utility Charissa Ballesteros went 3-5 and sophomore outfielder Claudia Nunez went 3-3.

“It’s amazing, everybody is doing so good, the chemistry is really good this year,” sophomore outfielder Danielle Bravo said. “I believe we have a shot this year.”

PCC started the year unranked in the 20-team preseason poll, though the team was fourth in the “other schools receiving votes” category.

In Pima’s first home double-header, the Aztecs held on to beat Mesa Community College 6-4 and then earned a 10-0, six-inning, mercy rule shortened win.

“We’re excited and optimistic,” head coach Armando Quiroz said. “We expect to do very well.”

Kaity Ingram

Jordan Trujillo struggled with a blister on her pitching thumb but still struck out 10 Thunderbirds. Ingram drove in three runs and two RBIs.

In the second game, Garcia (5-1) earned a shutout. Ballesteros, sophomore infielder Ena Pacheco and Bravo all hit home runs, scoring seven off the long ball.

Bravo, who is 4 feet 11 inches, five inches smaller than any other Aztec, sealed the deal with a walk-off home run. It was her first career home run.

“It was amazing, it felt good but what I loved most was that the girls were there right when I got there,” Bravo said. “I think that’s what cheered me up the most, was seeing them at home plate, cheering me on and just getting on me. It was great and I think that’s what pumped me up the most.”

The Aztecs opened their season in Las Vegas at the College of Southern Nevada Kickoff Classic, where they went 5-1.

On Jan. 29 in the season opener, Jordan Trujillo pitched a gem, throwing a two-hitter and striking out 15, leading the Aztecs to an upset of No. 20 College of Southern Idaho.

“She had a great Vegas tournament,” Quiroz said. “I think she was double-digit strike outs in every game.”

Ballesteros hit the game-winning home run against Southern Idaho. Garcia debuted in a 5-3 win over North Idaho College, where sophomore catcher Melina Trujillo went 3-4.

On the second day, Pima started with an 11-3 loss to No. 13 Salt Lake City Community College, where Garcia got her first college loss. In the next game, Jordan Trujillo struck out 10 batters in a 4-2 win over Chipola College.

In the third game on Jan. 30, Garcia bounced back by getting a win after coming out of the bullpen in a 10 inning 7-6 win over the hosts. Pacheco went 5-11 on the day, with a home run and five RBIs. Ingram went 6-8.

Pima capped the CSN tournament with a 9-1 win over Western Nevada College Jan. 31. Garcia got the win and sophomore outfielder Chelsea Slama went 3-4, scored two runs and drove in one RBI.

The next two weeks are important as Pima tries to get home field advantage for the playoffs and force cold weather Yavapai College to come to Tucson in May.

On Feb. 12 at 2 p.m., the Aztecs host El Paso Community College. Then on Feb. 13, there will be no love lost when they host old rival, Division II No. 2 and defending ACCAC champion Phoenix College at home at noon.

On Feb. 20, PCC hosts Scottsdale Community College. Three days later, Pima travels to top-ranked defending national Yavapai.

“It’s an important month for us,” Quiroz said. “It is really important for us to get off to a good start, to kind of build a cushion.”

The season is young but the Aztecs are all over the NJCAA national stats. The team is seventh in batting average with 3.46 and eighth in fielding.

Jordan Trujillo is ranked No. 7 in the country in pitching with a 0.68 ERA, while Garcia is 30th with a 3.56 ERA. Jordan Trujillo is also No. 2 in strikeouts with 33, 1.60 per inning, while Garcia is ninth with 18.

Ingram is 46th with a .500 batting average while Pacheco is 48th, hitting .474. Pacheco is No. 7 in RBI with 10 and Ballesteros is 35th with six. Melina Trujillo is 37th in field percentage, .981, and Ballesteros is 39th with .979.