baseball
Ramon Martinez Delivers Thrilling Walk-Off Bunt Single, Completing Pima’s Sweep of Southern Idaho
The Pima Community College baseball team continues its winning streak, now at 4-0, after a thrilling conclusion to their four-game series against the College of Southern Idaho on Sunday at the West Campus Aztec Field.
In an intense matchup, the No. 23-ranked Aztecs (Division II) edged out the Golden Eagles (Division I) with a dramatic 8-7 walk-off victory in 10 innings. Freshman Ramon Martinez executed a timely suicide bunt, driving in freshman Mike Jones from third base, sealing the win for Pima.
The game started strong for the Aztecs. In the first inning, sophomore Collin Senior delivered a two-run RBI double, scoring freshman Ernie Alvarez and sophomore Caden Richards. Senior also contributed with a sacrifice fly that allowed Barta to cross the plate, followed by a grounded out by Zach Plasschaert that drove in Nolan Ganter, who had previously doubled. This brought the score to 4-0 in favor of Pima.
Richards extended the lead in the second inning with a double that brought Alvarez home, making it 5-0. Southern Idaho responded in the fifth inning with a run, but Pima quickly countered when Barta scored on an error, pushing their lead to 6-1.
The Aztecs fought back in the bottom of the tenth. Barta singled to get on base, followed by a crucial double from Jones, putting both in scoring position. After a groundout by Glueck moved the runners, Barta scored to tie the game, setting the stage for Martinez’s walk-off play.
Notable performances included Barta, who ended the game with one hit, two runs, and an RBI. Senior contributed significantly with two RBIs, while Alvarez scored twice. Pitching was also a highlight; freshman Andres Castro secured the win, pitching three and one-third innings with four strikeouts. Meanwhile, sophomore Lucas Casey started strong, throwing five innings of no-hit ball with eight strikeouts.
The final score showcased a competitive effort from both teams, but Pima emerged victorious. Looking ahead, the Aztecs will host Eastern Arizona College for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, with the first game set to begin at noon.
