Cougar Baseball Tops CGCC 15-6

The South Mountain Community College baseball team posted a 15-6 victory over Chandler-Gilbert Community College in an Arizona Community College Athletic Conference contest Wednesday night in Chandler. The Cougars totaled 14 hits, including five for extra bases, and SMCC rallied from an early deficit and put the game out of reach late.

The Cougars produced some dynamic offensive performances throughout the lineup in the win over the Coyotes. Freshman Dustin Bermudez finished 3 for 5 with two runs, two RBIs and a sac fly. Fellow rookie Garrett Bevacqua had an impressive debut for SMCC, going 3 for 4 with four runs scored and an RBI.

Sophomore Efrain Cervantes went 2 for 4 with three RBIs, a double and a run scored. Brady Welch, another sophomore, went 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. A third sophomore, Justin Quinn, had three RBIs, two walks and a run scored.

The Cougars took advantage of an error in the first to post an early 1-0 lead. After Chandler-Gilbert CC scored three in its half of the first, the Cougars got one run back in the second when Welch doubled in Bevacqua with two outs.

Trailing 5-2 in the top of the fourth, the Cougars responded with four runs to take the lead for good. Rookie Paul Sachen started the inning with a triple and then scored on an RBI single from Bevacqua. Bermudez drove home Bevacqua with a sac fly, and with two outs, Quinn delivered a two-run single before he was tagged out trying to advance to second.

SMCC added a run in the seventh, and Cervantes posted a two-out, two-run double in the eighth to extend the lead.

In the ninth, freshman Luke Hydzu, who was making his season debut, started things with a lead-off double. Bevacqua walked, and a pitch hit Welch to load the bases. Holden Breeze and Bermudez posted consecutive RBI singles, Cervantes hit a sac fly and Bermudez later scored on a wild pitch.

Sophomore Michael Sears picked up the win for SMCC, tossing 3.1 innings of two-hit relief work. Tyler Magin started for SMCC, and TJ Czyz, Israel Gutierrez, Carter Krosky and Derek Decolati all saw time on the hill for the Cougars.

SMCC returns to action with a home game against Phoenix College at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The Cougars also host Yavapai College in an ACCAC doubleheader starting at noon on Saturday, Feb. 15.