SMCC Baseball Wins Both Ends of Doubleheader at Yavapai

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College baseball team (5-1, 2-0 ACCAC) defeated Yavapai College 13-6 (7 innings) and 6-5 (6 innings) in an Arizona Community College Athletic Conference doubleheader in Prescott on Feb. 27. In the first game, the Cougars scored twice in the sixth to retake the lead and then added seven runs in the seventh to seal the comeback. In game two, the Cougars scored runs in the fifth and sixth to edge the Roughriders and complete the sweep. 

Game One

The Cougar offense took over late in the contest, scoring nine runs over the final two frames to earn the fourth-straight win. 

McKay Barney, Dustin Bermudez, Justin Quinn and Esteban Hernandez all had two hits in the win. Barney had a season-high four RBIs while Holden Breeze and Brodie Marino each drove in three runs. Quinn, Hernandez and Gillis Champagne each scored two runs and the Cougars collected four doubles. 

After the Roughriders scored a run in the first, the Cougars tied the game when Quinn scored on a Bermudez RBI single in the third. In the next inning, Breeze cleared the bases with a three-run double to give SMCC a 4-1 lead. The advantage would be short-lived as Yavapai responded with three runs in their half of the fourth. 

Yavapai took a 5-4 advantage with a two-out double in the fifth to set up the Cougars' late heroics. In the sixth, Barney hit a two-run single to give the Cougars the lead for good. The next inning saw Quinn record a sac fly, Bermudez drew a bases-loaded walk, Barney hit a two-run double, and Marino cleared the bases with a three-run double.

Alec Stanfield started the game for the Cougars, going 4.1 innings with five strikeouts, four walks and two earned runs. Trent Adams (1-0) earned the win by getting the fifth's final two outs. Finally, Andrew Lucas tossed the sixth and seventh and allowed one earned run with one strikeout.

Game Two

The second game was another tight affair, with SMCC pulling ahead late and holding off a late Yavapai rally. The Cougars scored runs in the fifth and sixth to break a 3-3 tie, and in the sixth, Shawn Triplett worked around a one-out double to seal the victory. 

With the game tied at 3-3, Quinn started the fifth inning with his first home run of the year. Triplett entered the game in the fifth and promptly recorded three-straight outs with the tying run on first.

In the sixth, Braden Campbell drew a walk to start the frame, and Paul Sachen replaced him as a courtesy runner. He moved on a second on a groundout and then scored on a sac bunt by Marino. That run proved crucial as the Roughriders scored a run in the sixth before Triplett slammed the door shut for SMCC's fifth-straight win.

Triplett (1-0) earned the win with two innings of work and two strikeouts. Matt Bohnert started the game for SMCC, going 2.2 innings with five K's and four earned runs. Kyle Ponzo threw 1.1 innings of relief and had two strikeouts.

Offensively, Bermudez added a double and Barney, Breeze and Lucas all recorded stolen bases. Michael Quinones led the Cougars with two RBIs in the game, driving home runs in the first and third. The Cougars earned eight free passes during the six innings, with Lucas recording three walks and Breeze adding two.

The Cougars return to action with a doubleheader at Pima Community College on Tuesday, Mar. 2. Game one starts at noon.