SMCC Baseball Splits Doubleheader with Mesa CC

PHOENIX --- 

The South Mountain Community College baseball team (28-13, 22-12) split an Arizona Community College Athletic Conference doubleheader with Mesa Community College on April 24, winning game one 4-2 before falling 5-4 in the second game. In the first game, a four-run first, highlighted by a Mason Skaugrud two-run home run, served as enough offense as Trent Adams and Ronan Kopp limited the Thunderbirds to two hits and four walks over seven innings. In the second game, Holden Breeze and Dustin Bermudez hit solo home runs, but the Cougars could not overcome an early deficit.

Game One

The Cougars struck for four runs in the first inning, all coming with two outs, and Adams and Kopp kept the Mesa CC hitters off balance in the 4-2 victory.

With two outs in the first, Breeze drew a walk and then scored on an RBI double from McKay Barney. He then scored on an RBI single from Andrew Lucas, and Skaugrud drove him home with his third home run of the season.

Barney finished a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles and a stolen base, while Skaugrud finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Adams improved to 7-0 on the season with 4.0 innings of work. He allowed two hits and three walks and struck out four Thunderbirds. Kopp tossed three innings of hitless relief with four K's and a walk to earn his first save of the season.

Game Two 

The Cougars scored four runs over the final three innings, but they could not overcome an early deficit and lost 5-4 to Mesa CC.

Trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Lucas delivered a two-out RBI single to score Skaugrud and get the Cougars on the scoreboard.

In the eighth, Breeze launched a solo home run, his fifth of the season, and Michael Quinones delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to score Barney.

Bermudez opened the ninth with his second home run of the season, and Lucas made it to third after drawing a walk, but MCC recorded the final out to hold off the rally and get the win.

Bermudez finished 2-for-4 with a double and the solo shot, while Breeze was also 2-for-4. Barney had two hits and two stolen bases, and Skaugrud recorded his third double of the year.

Derek Decolati (2-2) started the game for the Cougars, allowing four runs (one earned), four hits and one walk. He had three strikeouts as his record fell to 2-2.

Nolan Livsey tossed 2.1 innings of relief and had one strikeout, while Ryan Figueroa tossed the final 2.2 innings with five K's. 

SMCC hosts Yavapai College in an ACCAC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 27. The first game starts at noon.