All Entries Tagged With: "baseball"
ATHLETIC VOICE: Men’s basketball head coaching situation botched by both sides
By James Kelley
aztecpress@pima.edu
Last spring was the best of times for Pima Community College men’s basketball and then the worst of times.
After nearly winning a national championship, the program was sucker-punched by its own head coach when Karl Pieroway unexpectedly quit. Pieroway then returned, but quit again.
Pieroway went from school hero to lower than the scary liquid that always seems to be on the floors of West Campus men’s rooms even though they are constantly cleaning it.
Now, Pieroway is a nice guy but his actions were atrocious.
People hate basketball superstar LeBron James, but James didn’t leave after calling the Cleveland Cavaliers to tell them he was coming back.
Pieroway did.
Nick Saban is the poster boy for coaching disloyalty in college and pro sports, but not even Saban didn’t leave after Louisiana State University and the Miami Dolphins fired people to get more money for his salary.
Pieroway did.
There may have been more people fired that they didn’t mention in a press release, but at least assistant athletic director Jerry Stitt was fired and athletic director Edgar Soto had to resign as baseball coach.
We don’t know for sure that the athletic department’s extreme makeover was to get more money for Pieroway. Coaches weren’t allowed to talk to us. One, who a few weeks earlier said he owed me a favor, wouldn’t even call me back on it in May.
But, it is pretty obvious. Sure the baseball team slumped the last couple of years, but why would Soto fire himself?
There may have been issues with the administration but, because Pieroway declined a chance to tell his story, I just have to assume the worst.
Speaking of Pima’s administration, they just plain mishandled the coaching search.
Never mind that the obvious choice, former University of Arizona and PCC assistant basketball coach Jim Rosborough wasn’t hired. The process used to hire new head coach Roderick Gary is what really grinds my gears.
In lots of ways, Gary seems like a great fit. He used to be an assistant coach for the Aztecs and still works at PCC. He wants Pima to be the county’s basketball team.
That clearly makes him a “Pima man,” especially important after Pima’s last coach went all runaway bride on the school.
Sounds great, but why did it take so long to hire him? Remember when the University of Arizona took maybe two weeks to hire Sean Miller and everyone freaked? Didn’t it take the University of Kentucky about a day to hire John Calipari?
Both the chancellor and Gary work in Pima’s district office complex. So then why was it so hard to find him?
Gary wasn’t hired until two months after Pieroway quit for the second time, losing precious recruiting time and momentum from the Aztecs’ great playoff run. That was in the summer too.
Worse yet, nobody told the players or kept them remotely in the loop. Even the college coaches with the least integrity tell their players they are leaving.
Players didn’t know when Pieroway was coming or going. One player asked me in July, “Um, what’s going on, do we have a coach yet?”
I had no idea, but sent him a published story that said Rosborough was interested in the job. We both assumed Rosborough would be hired.
Gary could very well return Pima to Nationals, maybe even this year, but it’s unfair to essentially make him start the game with a couple of fouls.
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Online Extra: Former Pima, USA Baseball and Foothills coach Jason Hisey named head baseball coach
By James Kelley
Photo courtesy PCC
Edgar Soto hired a familiar face, Jason Hisey, to succeed him as Pima Community College head baseball coach.
Soto, Pima’s executive director of athletics, stepped down as head baseball coach in May. Hisey was the Aztecs’ pitching coach from 2006-2008.
Pima won 105 games during those years, making the playoffs in 2006 and 2007. The 2006 Aztec pitching staff led the Arizona Community College Athletic Association with a 2.74 ERA.
In 2006, Hisey coached USA Baseball’s 18-and-under team to a silver medal at the World Junior Championships in Cuba. Hisey is also the president of the Southern Arizona Baseball Association.
Jason Hisey
From 1995-2005, Hisey was the head baseball coach at Catalina Foothills High School, where he led the Falcons to three state championship games, eight regional titles and a 256-78 win-loss record.
“Jason’s record speaks for itself. He has been successful at every level,” Soto said in a press release. “And he knows the college and appreciates the high scholastic standards we hold our student-athletes to.”
Hisey pitched for the University of Arizona from 1987-91 and then played in the minor leagues from 1991-93 in the St. Louis Cardinals’ organization.
He has a master’s degree in sports administration from the UA and a bachelor’s degree from UA in exercise sport science.
The Aztecs missed the playoffs in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
The Pima Community College Board of Governors must approve Hisey’s appointment. Their next regular meeting is Wednesday, Aug. 11.
Online Extra: Summer Updates
Photo by James Kelley
Former Pima coach Roderick Gary named men’s head basketball coach
Former Pima, USA Baseball and Foothills coach Jason Hisey named head baseball coach
Men’s soccer holding tryouts July 5 and July 7
Aztecs earn Academic All-American accolades
Three softball players selected to All-American teams
Japanese Speech Contest, Aikido and Anime Club Videos
Women’s track & field takes 13th at Nationals, the men finish 17th
Video of baseball coach’s last home game
Men’s golf team finishes 18th at Nationals
Two women’s golfers finish in top 42 at Nationals
Living the Dream: Pima Fashion Show video
Both track & field teams finish third at Regionals
Chloe' Nowell
Men’s tennis finishes 19th at Nationals
Women’s tennis finishes 19th at Nationals
Men’s basketball coach Karl Pieroway steps down, again
Yavapai finishes off softball
Softball bounces back, advances to Semifinals
Softball upset by bottom seed
Online Extra: Men’s basketball coach Karl Pieroway steps down, again
By James Kelley
For the second time in less than a month, the Karl Pieroway era of Pima Community College men’s basketball has ended.
Pieroway resigned on May 13, nine days after he returned to Pima as a full-time head coach. He first quit on April 20, citing the pressures of trying to coach and teach middle school math.
Pieroway’s temporary upgrade to full-time head coach prompted a restructuring of the athletic department that also saw women’s head basketball coach Todd Holthaus become full time. In addition, executive athletic director Edgar Soto stepped down as head baseball coach and Jerry Stitt’s position as assistant athletic director was eliminated.
Pima will now search for a replacement for Pieroway on a “half-time” basis.
Check back with AztecPressOnline.com for updates on the basketball coaches, the baseball coach search and other summer news.
Pieroway timeline
June 2008: Hired as Pima’s men’s basketball coach
2008-09: His first team goes 10-20
Dec. 2, 2009: Aztecs upset No. 6 Phoenix College
Jan. 23, 2010: Aztecs upset No. 16 Cochise College
March 6, 2010: Aztecs upset top-seeded Phoenix, their second Regional tournament road win in a row, to advance to Nationals
March 20, 2010: Aztecs finish fifth at Nationals
April 20, 2010: Pieroway resigns as head coach
May 4, 2010: Rehired as a full-time head coach
May 13, 2010: Resigns
Online Extra: Pieroway returns, Soto resigns as baseball coach
By James Kelley
Pima Community College men’s basketball head coach Karl Pieroway will return to the school after resigning. Pending approval from the governing board, both Pieroway and women’s basketball head coach Todd Holthaus will now be full-time coaches.
In other developments, Edgar Soto stepped down as athletic director in a dramatic restructuring of the athletic department.
Pieroway resigned on April 20, citing the difficulties of trying to coach a college team while also working as a middle school teacher. PCC announced on May 4 that he had agreed to return.
“This is a great opportunity for me. I appreciate the chance to continue to work with the players in making our team one of the up-and-coming programs in the nation,” Pieroway said in a press release.
In Pieroway’s two seasons at the helm, he led the men’s team from after-thought to almost a national championship. The team finished seventh at the National Junior College Athletic Association national tournament, losing only to the eventual national champions. The year before Pieroway started, Pima men were 7-23.
“It will impact the student athletes by providing continuity, with coach Pieroway staying on as the coach, which will just help him and the student athletes on the team take what they are doing and what they have done to the next level,” said Rachelle Howell, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Marketing.
Soto, the executive director of athletics, will step down as baseball head coach to focus on managing the athletic department. The position of assistant athletic director, held by Jerry Stitt, will be eliminated.
The press release said the reorganization “will allow the college to more efficiently utilize resources, better serve its student-athletes and build on the successes of its programs.” Pima’s only previous full-time coach was football head coach Pat Nugent, who was hired in January 2009.
Soto stepped down from the baseball coaching job “so that he can devote his full energies to managing the athletics department,” the release said. Pima will immediately start a search for a new baseball coach.
“Several of Pima’s teams have made it onto the national stage recently, and I want to do everything I can to help us grow our programs and capitalize on those successes,” Soto said in a press release.
The baseball team finished 21-33-1 and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. Soto went 359-286-2 at Pima and produced five Major Leaguers, including pitcher D.J. Carrasco, currently on the Pittsburgh Pirates and pitcher Tim Wood, currently a Florida Marlin. Soto also was head coach of the U.S. National baseball team.
Stitt was hired in September 2008. His salary is $40,040, according to Volume 58 Issue 2 of the Aztec. Stitt took over the University of Arizona baseball team from 1997-2001 after being a long time assistant coach. He also coached at Salpointe Catholic High School and Grand Canyon High School, and was the hitting instructor for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Rookie team.
Holthaus turned the women’s basketball program from a laughingstock to a national power. This year the Aztecs finished fifth at the NJCAA national tournament and last year they finished third. The year before Holthaus was hired, Pima was 5-22.
The PCC’s Board of Governors still must approve the full-time hiring of Pieroway and Holthaus. Their next meeting is May 12.
Check AztecPressOnline.com this summer for coaching updates.
UA transfer made ‘big’ impact for Pima baseball
By James Sargent
Photo by James Kelley
Although the Pima Community College baseball team had a disappointing season, sophomore outfielder Shaun Cooper did not let it affect his play. He improved tremendously to earn himself another Division I scholarship.
Cooper played last season for the University of Arizona and had a strong season, hitting .300 in 27 games for the Wildcats.
“I wasn’t going to have a chance to be a starter at defense, it was more designated hitter,” Cooper said about his transfer to Pima. “I wanted to improve on my defensive skills.”
Cooper finished this season as Pima’s top batter and was the only Aztec to start all 55 games. He scattered 197 hits, including 17 doubles and four home runs. He totaled 44 RBIs on the year. His 18 stolen bases were also a team high, along with his .330 batting average.
“My main reason why I came to Pima was to improve on my outfield skills,” Cooper said. “Hitting was good, I’m always trying to improve on my hitting. I did pretty good for my first real, full season.”
Pima head coach Edgar Soto thinks Cooper made a big impact.
“Cooper has been a huge part, especially since Justin Zumwalde has been injured most of the year,” Soto said. “He helped us a bunch, not that we are having a great season, but who knows how it could have been without him.
Shaun Cooper
“He is also an about-average outfielder now. The more he played, the more live game opportunities you get, you are going to improve and I think he has improved tremendously. He is such a hard worker, runs well, so he just needed the reps out there.”
Cooper accepted a scholarship at the University of Utah and will be eligible to play for two more years.
“They recruited me out of high school. I took a visit up there and the facilities were really high-class,” Cooper said about the University of Utah. “It was very similar to UA and I think I will really enjoy it.”
Cooper said he hopes to start immediately in either left field or center field and wants to bat in the middle of the lineup, but he will have to prove himself to the coaches.
His main goal is getting drafted to a Major League Baseball team, hopefully at the end of his junior year. If that does not happen, he will stay for his senior season.
Cooper has declared his major as sociology, but plans on getting into emergency medical technician programs at Utah. If not for baseball, Cooper would love to become a paramedic and work in the health field.
His hobbies outside of baseball include weight lifting and playing “Call of Duty” on his Xbox 360.
Pima closed the season with a sweep of Central Arizona College, and finished 21-33-1 overall. Cooper was named All-ACCAC first team and All-Region second team.
Online Extra: Pieroway returns, Soto out as baseball coach
By James Kelley
Pima Community College head men’s basketball coach Karl Pieroway will return to the school after a two week absence as a full time coach, along with women’s head basketball coach Todd Holthaus in a dramatic restructuring of the athletic department.
Executive Director of Athletics Edgar Soto will also step down as baseball head coach to focus on managing the athletic department.
Pieroway coached the Aztecs for two seasons, but resigned last month, citing the stress of balancing his workload as a full time middle school teacher with coaching duties.
“This is a great opportunity for me. I appreciate the chance to continue to work with the players in making our team one of the up-and-coming programs in the nation,” Pieroway said in a press release.
Check AztecPressOnline.com this summer for coaching updates.
Baseball still shows heart despite losing record
By James Sargent
Photo by James Kelley
The Pima Community College team has been playing .500 baseball in its last eight games, and has now been officially eliminated from the post-season.
The Aztecs are currently 18-30-1, (11-21 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) on the season and will finish with a sub .500 record with only six games remaining.
“We are going to focus and continue to play hard,” head coach Edgar Soto said of his team. “We aren’t going to change what we do. No matter what, we are going to not give up and we are going to do everything we can to win a baseball game.”
On April 20, Pima split its games against Division II No. 10 Mesa Community College, winning 13-3 and losing 16-6.
Sophomore Richie Sandoval endured the loss in Game 1, giving up six runs on six hits through three innings of work.
The southpaw struggled with his control as he also walked five Thunderbird hitters.
Sophomore shortstop Pepito Moreno was the Aztecs’ top hitter in Game 1, as he went 2-3 with a double and one RBI.
Freshman Torry Mowatt improved to 2-2 on the season with his Game 2 start and win.
Mowatt threw five innings, giving up six runs, four earned, on five hits.
Freshman Ryan Retz got the job done on the mound and at the plate.
Ryan Retz
Retz pitched the final 1-2/3 innings to earn the save and he went 2-5 with a grand slam in the seventh inning.
Pima split a pair of ACCAC games with South Mountain Community College on April 17, losing 6-2 and winning 10-3.
Sophomore Tim Reed picked up the loss in Game 1, giving up six runs, four earned, on eight hits.
Freshman Matt Pavelich earned the win in Game 2, pitching six strong innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on seven hits.
Sandoval and Mowatt relieved Pavelich to throw the final three innings of shutout baseball.
Lead-off hitter Moreno led the Aztec offense, as he went 3-6, scored two runs and drove in four. Retz, current ACCAC Player of the Week, went 2-5 in Game 2 while driving in three RBIs.
With the season winding down and the playoffs not a possibility, many of the sophomores are playing for scholarships and the freshmen are competing for ample playing time next year.
“Ryan Retz is having an outstanding year,” Soto said about his returning freshmen players. “We are excited about him for next year. Also, outfielder Leo Durazo has had a pretty good year and he’s one of the top hitters in the conference. As for pitchers, Torry Mowatt is having a decent year and will be important next year.”
Baseball concerned about pitching
By James Sargent
Photo by Daniel Gaona
The Pima Community College baseball team is struggling with just over 20 games remaining.
The Aztecs are 10-22-1 on the season and the main concerns stand in pitching and defense. Errors and earned runs are taking over the box scores and have been the Achilles’ heels all season.
“We are a really good team, we have a lot of good talent, we just need to put it all together,” sophomore pitcher Richie Sandoval said. “We need to work on both defense and pitching. If we have really good pitching, our team tends to do pretty good.”
Sandoval said he has had ups and downs this season.
“I think I have been pitching pretty well these past couple games,” he said. “I just need to keep working hard, throwing strikes and setting the tone for the team.”
The Aztecs are 6-7 in their past 13 games and cannot find away to bring about a streak above .500.
Ricardo Neda
Twenty-two games remain on the schedule, so statistically the Aztecs cannot count themselves out. However, it would be quite an accomplishment if they make a turnaround this far into the season.
“We all need to stay positive,” Sandoval said about the remainder of the season. “None of the coaches have been negative at all. They have been positive and trying to bring guys up and not allow us to let down on ourselves.”
On March 23, Pima lost both games of a doubleheader to the Coyotes of Chandler-Gilbert Community College, falling 8-7 and 12-5.
Pima’s next game will be a doubleheader on March 27 at home against Paradise Valley Community College.
Online Extra: Baseball looking for big turnaround
By James Sargent
Fundamentals. That’s one word that hasn’t described the Pima Community College baseball season so far.
The Aztecs just have not found their groove as a team, and fundamentals have been an intricate part of that reason.
“In order to win a baseball game, you have to do two out of three things,” head coach Edgar Soto said. “Hitting, pitching and playing defense are those three things. We have been able to do one of those three, but never more than that.”
With Arizona Community College Athletic Conference play starting, Pima could at least look forward to winning some conference games. However, the Aztecs just cannot seem to get on track and string together a winning streak.
The 5-15-1, (1-9 ACCAC) Aztecs’ last victory before their 12-2 win against Arizona Western College on March 6 dated to Feb. 18 against the Tucson Nationals club team.
Ryan Retz
On March 9, Pima traveled to Douglas and squared off against the Apaches of Cochise College in a doubleheader. Pima lost 11–5 and 14–4.
Cochise out-hit the Aztecs 27 to 20, and Pima committed a combined six errors on the field in the two games.
Shaun Cooper hit a pair of homeruns in Game 2 and gave Pima its lone bright spot on the day. Soto said Cooper has been a great addition to the Aztec lineup.
“We are trying to do everything we can to keep it positive as possible,” Soto said about his struggling team. “We’ve gone from being really tough and hard on them to letting them figure it out on their own and believe in themselves. They need to go out there and do what they are capable of doing. We need to keep working hard.”
Twenty-eight conference games remain on the schedule, so there is still time for a turnaround.
The Aztecs’ next action will be on March 13, when they travel to Phoenix College.
Pima’s Jack Howell Classic schedule
Wednesday March 17 vs. Northeastern College Kino Sports Complex South Field 6 4:30 PM
Wednesday March 17 vs. Indian Hills CC Kino Sports Complex South Field 6 7:00 PM
Thursday March 18 vs. Clarendon College Kino Sports Complex South Field 6 4:30 PM
Thursday March 18 vs. Midland College Kino Sports Complex South Field 6 7:00 PM
Friday March 19 vs. Douglas College Kino Kino Sports Complex Field 6 7:00 PM
Saturday March 20 vs. Western Texas College Kino Sports Complex South Field 4 3:00 PM
Athletic Voice: Tucson enters final season of Spring Training
By David Mendez
The first official pitches of Cactus League baseball in Tucson will be thrown next week. Those pitches will be the beginning of the end of Spring Training baseball in Tucson for the foreseeable future.
Next year, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies will move out of their Spring Training homes, Tucson Electric Park and Hi Corbett Field, respectively, for a brand-new facility on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Native American Community land near Scottsdale.
What this means is that Spring Training baseball, which had been an annual event in Tucson since 1946, won’t be back next year.
So who’s to blame?
One can point to the Chicago White Sox, whose decision to jump north to join the Los Angeles Dodgers in their new facility near Glendale motivated the Colorado Rockies to start looking for new facilities.
The Rockies and Diamondbacks, of course, point to this as the major motivating factor. Both teams expressed displeasure being the only two teams training in Southern Arizona.
Playing against only each other puts the two teams at a competitive disadvantage because both teams reside in the National League West.
If I were the manager of a professional baseball franchise, I certainly wouldn’t want to be training day in and day out against my team’s division rivals.
Both teams also complained about the Spring Training tactics of their other Cactus League rivals.
Most teams tend to keep their star players or those with slight, nagging injuries from making the arduous two-hour trek to Tucson. Instead they opt to play split-squad games and send only half of the roster to play in Tucson while the other half stays in the Phoenix area.
In a sports world dominated by ticket sales, sponsorship dollars and luxury seating, the Rockies and Diamondbacks quickly realized they had potentially struck gold by creating a situation where they could build new stadiums elsewhere and reap the benefits of brand new, state-of-the-art facilities ripe with new fans eager to walk the grounds of the new training complexes.
The Rockies, after all, were dying to have Pima County renovate Hi Corbett Field and their training grounds, creating a plan with costs ranging from $10 million to $20 million in upgrades.
Honestly, I can see why the Rockies would want to leave, as they felt they were getting burned on their lease with poor landlords. I can also understand the Diamondbacks wanting to skip town, as the majority of the team’s fan base is in central Arizona.
I’m certainly not happy about it, as one of my major motivating factors for moving to Tucson was to catch some D-backs Spring Training games. Unfortunately, baseball is as much a business as any other in this day and age.
What bothers me is the lackluster effort Pima County made not only in regard to their attempts to retain these teams, but also in regard to competing with those in central Arizona to lure franchises to train in Tucson.
Within the last 10 years, the Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers decided to join the Cactus League and make Arizona their Spring Training homes, with most of those stadiums being built on the fast-growing western edge of the Phoenix area.
Why hasn’t Pima County made an effort to bring any of those teams, or for that matter, any of the other major league teams, to roost here?
For those who understand the rigors of traffic in the Phoenix area, it’s not much of a stretch to say that driving from Scottsdale Stadium (home of the San Francisco Giants) to Camelback Ranch (home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox), would take just as much time to travel in peak conditions as it would to make the trip to Tucson.
The only issue would be the sustainability of ticket sales in Spring Training beyond the first few years, and the ability to make use of these sports complexes during the summer, fall and winter months, and that’s where Pima County would falter.
Look at the Tucson Sidewinders, for instance. During the peak years of the Arizona Diamondbacks farm system, the Sidewinders won the Pacific Coast League Championship as well as the unofficial Triple-A Championship, beating the International League Toledo MudHens 5-2 in a one-game playoff. Tucson fielded some of the most impressive minor league talent collected on one team.
Yet, the Sidewinders constantly played to a half-filled stadium.
It lost so much money that the team’s ownership group, Tucson Baseball LLC, sold the Sidewinders to SK Baseball LLC in 2007. Those owners eventually moved the team to Reno, Nev.
To be honest, Tucson just can’t support baseball. That’s a terrible shame considering the passion that exists in the hearts of many fans in southern Arizona.
So, to those who love Spring Training baseball and baseball in general, enjoy this next month. Skip a class, take a day off and sit in the shade of a half-empty stadium watching sub-par talent pass their time away against professionals who just seem bored.
As for me, I’ve got better things to do. Why would I want to spend my afternoon out in the sun anyway, right?
Online Extra: Baseball displays offensive power, continues winning
By James Sargent
Photo by James Kelley
The Pima Community College baseball team finally got its offense going in the past three games against the University of Arizona Club team and Tucson Nationals baseball club. The Aztecs’ overall record has now blossomed to 4-6 on the season.
The doubleheader scheduled for Feb. 20 against the Gila Monsters of Eastern Arizona College was postponed due to rain. Pima’s double-header against Yavapai was moved to Feb. 25.
The Aztecs had a six-day layoff between their doubleheader sweep against the UA Club team and then a single game on Feb. 15 against the Wildcats. Pima pounded out 21 hits in a 19-0 win for its third win over the Cats this season.
“This win helped with the confidence of our hitters,” head coach Edgar Soto said. “Hitting is such a mental thing. Sometimes you just need some success to get you going.”
The Aztec pitching also dominated, as the four-man staff allowed just one hit in the shutout. Sophomore pitcher Richie Sandoval earned the win, striking out six and not surrendering a hit through four innings of work.
Freshmen Robert Ravago and Matt Pavelich pitched the middle innings. Freshman Ryan Retz threw the final three hitless innings, where he also struck out six.
Six Aztecs registered multi-hit games, with four batters picking up three hits each. Freshmen Abel Chavez and Leo Durazo, and sophomores Alex Ferguson and Pepito Moreno all had three knocks. Moreno also had three RBIs, while the other three batters knocked in a pair of RBIs each.
Pima split a double-header with the Tucson Nationals. The Aztecs lost the first game 8-7 but won the second 13-6.
Ryan Retz
The PCC baseball team hosted its annual Alumni Baseball Camp on Feb. 13.
The two-hour camp, run by former Aztecs who have played in the Big Leagues, featured players who are currently playing professionally in the minors.
Alumni who worked at the camp and provided drills to the children who attended included Arizona Diamondbacks’ hitting coach Jack Howell, St. Louis Cardinals’ outfield coordinator Tom Spencer, Cincinnati Reds’ scouting supervisor Clark Crist, former Major League players Gil Heredia and George Arias, Kansas City Royals’ Gilbert De La Vara, Pittsburgh Pirates’ Donald Veal, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Jesus Castillo and current Mexico professional baseball player Jesus Cota.
“Jack Howell, who is currently the Big League hitting coach for the AZ D-Backs, gave us a lot of inspiration because he started off here at Pima,” Soto said.
Following the camp, a home run derby took place. To close out the day, the Aztec baseball team took on the alumni team in a nine-inning game. The current team trounced the alumni by a score of 8-0.
Pima also retired Rich Alday’s jersey, No. 26, placing it on the outfield wall at the Aztecs’ ballpark. Alday held the first head coaching job in PCC baseball history.
Online Extra: Baseball sweeps doubleheader to end losing streak
By James Sargent
Photo by James Kelley
The Pima Community College baseball team has struggled so far in the beginning of this young season starting off with a record of 2-5. The Aztecs finally managed to end a its 10 game skid dating back to last season.
“We are still trying to figure some things out,” head coach Edgar Soto said about the 0-5 road start. “We have to do the little things right to win games.”
On Tuesday, Feb. 9 Pima played the UA club team in a doubleheader at Kino Sports Complex.
Pima exploded by scoring 19 runs on 26 hits in the combined two games. The Aztecs recorded its first two wins of the season, 8-1 and 11-5.
Sophomore Joey Pavlovich (1-1) pitched five innings. He gave up two hits, no runs and four strikeouts.
Freshman Cameron Blazevich went 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Sophomore Alex Ferguson also went 3-4 with one RBI.
In the second game, freshman Matt Pavelich (1-0) relieved to earn the win, working two innings out of the bullpen.
Freshman Jesus Vega went 4-5 with a triple, an RBI and two stolen bases. Freshman Leo Durazo went 3-5 with three RBIs.
On Jan. 29 the Aztecs opened their 2010 campaign with a 3-2 loss at Paradise Valley Community College.
Sophomore Tim Reed got the start and was only able to complete three innings of work. Reed left the game with a no decision and gave way to the bullpen.
Freshmen Matt Pavelich and Robert Ravago pitched in relief. Ravago finished the game and he gave up three runs, on two hits, to earn the loss.
Sophomore Alex Ferguson led the way at the plate, where he went 3-4 and scored one run.
Sophomores Justin Zumwalde and Jesus Martinez also picked up a pair of hits as they each went 2-4, in the season opening loss.
On Jan. 30 Pima continued to slide and lost a pair of games in a doubleheader against the Pumas, 4-0 and 1-0.
Sophomore Chuy Gomez took the loss in Game 1 game while freshman Manolo Mendoza took the loss in Game 2.
Pima traveled north the next week to take on the No. 9 Wildcats of Western Nevada College.
There was a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 5 and both games ended in a loss.
Tim Reed took the hill in his second start and pitched eight innings, giving up five runs, four earned and took the loss.
The Aztecs two RBIs came from second baseman, Jesus Vega, and third baseman, Tommy King.
The final score for Game 1 was 5-3.
In the second game, Chuy Gomez pitched four innings while surrendering five earned runs.
Robert Ravago relieved Gomez going four innings and giving up no runs.
Vega provided the lone RBI and the Aztecs lost the game 5-2.
The Aztecs were leading 3-0 in a third game but it was called off due to rain in the first inning.
“The key games are our conference games,” Soto said. “They are the games that make the difference. We need to figure out the best lineup so when we start our conference games we give ourselves the best chance to win.”
Online Extra: Baseball 2010 Results
Photo by James Kelley
21-33-1, 14-24 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference
Jan. 29 @ Paradise Valley CC L 3-2
Jan. 30 @ Paradise Valley CC L 4-0
Jan. 30 @ Paradise Valley CC L 1-0
Feb. 5 @ Western Nevada College L 5-3
Feb. 5 @ Western Nevada College L 5-2
Feb. 6 @ Nevada College Canceled
Feb. 7 @ Western Nevada College Canceled
Feb. 9 vs. UA CLUB W 8-1
Feb. 9 vs. UA CLUB W 11-5
Feb. 13 ALUMNI GAME
Feb. 15 vs. UA CLUB W 19-0
Feb. 18 vs. TUCSON NATIONALS CLUB L 8-7
Feb. 18 vs. TUCSON NATIONALS CLUB W 13-6
Feb. 20 vs. *EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE POSTPONED to Mar. 16
Feb. 23 @ *Yavapai College POSTPONED to Feb. 25
Feb. 25 @ *Yavapai College L 6-1
Feb. 25 @ *Yavapai College L 7-3
Feb. 26 vs. #MEIJI UNIVERSITY (TOKYO, JAPAN) (KINO SOUTH) T 2-2
Feb. 27 vs. *SOUTH MOUNTAIN CC L 3-0
Feb. 27 vs. *SOUTH MOUNTAIN CC L 5-3
Mar. 2 vs. *CENTRAL ARIZONA COLLEGE L 7-3
Mar. 2 vs. *CENTRAL ARIZONA COLLEGE L 14-8
Mar. 6 @ *Arizona Western College L 3-0
Mar. 6 @ *Arizona Western College W 12-0
Mar. 9 @ *Cochise College L 11-5
Mar. 9 @ *Cochise College L 14-4
Mar. 13 @ *Phoenix College W 8-0
Mar. 13 @ *Phoenix College W 13-7
Mar. 15 vs. INDIAN HILLS CC L 4-3
Mar. 16 vs. *EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE W 4-3
Mar. 16 vs. *EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE L 6-3
Mar. 17 Jack Howell Classic #Northeastern College (KINO SOUTH FIELD 6) W 5-3
Mar. 17 Jack Howell Classic #Indian Hills CC (KINO SOUTH FIELD 6) L 22-10
Mar. 18 Jack Howell Classic #Clarendon College (KINO SOUTH FIELD 6) W 4-1
Mar. 18 Jack Howell Classic #Midland College (KINO SOUTH FIELD 6) L 7-1
Mar. 19 Jack Howell Classic #Douglas College (KINO SOUTH FIELD 6) W 7-2
Mar. 20 Jack Howell Classic #Western Texas College (KINO SOUTH FIELD 4) L 11-10 (extra innings)
Mar. 23 vs. *CHANDLER-GILBERT CC L 3-1
Mar. 23 vs. *CHANDLER-GILBERT CC L 12-5
Mar. 27 vs. *PARADISE VALLEY CC L 12-3
Mar. 27 vs. *PARADISE VALLEY CC W 9-2
Mar. 30 vs. *SCOTTSDALE CC L 5-4
Mar. 30 vs. *SCOTTSDALE CC L 16-14
Apr. 3 @ *Glendale CC W 9-7 (10 innings)
Apr. 3 @ *Glendale CC W 6-5
Apr. 6 @ *GateWay CC L 9-5
Apr. 6 @ *GateWay CC L 4-3
Apr. 10 @ *Eastern Arizona College W 10-5
Apr. 10 @ *Eastern Arizona College W 8-5
Apr. 13 vs. *YAVAPAI COLLEGE L 12-6
Apr. 13 vs. *YAVAPAI COLLEGE L 7-1
Apr. 17 @ *South Mountain CC L 6-2
Apr. 17 @ *South Mountain CC W 10-3
Apr. 20 @ *Mesa CC L 13-3
Apr. 20 @ *Mesa CC W 16-6
Apr. 24 vs. *ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE L 4-3
Apr. 24 vs. *ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE L 8-7
Apr. 27 vs. *COCHISE COLLEGE L 7-0
Apr. 27 vs. *COCHISE COLLEGE W 8-2
May. 1 @ *Central Arizona College W 3-2
May. 1 @ *Central Arizona College W 6-1
*ACCAC Game
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