Offense Leads SMCC Baseball to Sweep of Eastern Arizona

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College baseball team (24-9, 18-8 ACCAC) defeated Eastern Arizona 13-3 (5) and 22-0 (7) in an Arizona Community College Athletic Conference doubleheader on April 10. In the first game, SMCC scored six runs in the first inning, and four Cougars finished with two RBIs to down the Gila Monsters in five innings. In the second contest, Andrew Lucas smashed a grand slam, and Mason Skaugrud blasted a two-run home run as the Cougars defeated Eastern Arizona 22-0 in seven innings to complete the doubleheader sweep. 

Game One

The Cougars recorded seven hits, including four doubles, and nine walks to post a five-inning victory and their 10th-straight win in the series. SMCC scored six runs in the first inning and then added three runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to record a walk-off win. 

Justin Quinn went 3-for-3 with three runs, two doubles, an RBI and a walk, while Brodie Marino was 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a double.

Holden Breeze, Michael Quinones, Dustin Bermudez and Skaugrud all had two RBIs in the win, and Quinones produced his fourth double of the year. 

Brice Martinez and McKay Barney scored two runs, and Barney had two stolen bases. 

Ronan Kopp started the game for SMCC and tossed 2.1 innings with three strikeouts and six walks. Alec Stanfield (1-1) recorded his first win of the season with 2.2 innings of relief. He had three strikeouts and two walks to go with five hits and three runs. 

Game Two

In the second contest, the Cougars finished with 11 hits and eight walks en route to a 22-0, seven-inning victory. SMCC scored eight runs in the third, four in the fourth, one in the fifth and 11 in the sixth to produce their second run-rule win of the day. 

Lucas hit a grand slam, his fifth home run of the season, in the eight-run third inning and finished 2-for-4 with three runs and four RBIs. Skaugrud cleared the fences in center field in the fourth and was 2-for-3 with a double and a season-high four runs and four RBIs. 

Brice Martinez went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBIs and a sacrifice fly, while Clayton Kempski went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a walk. His courtesy runner, Gillis Champagne, scored all three times Kempski reached base. 

Justin Quinn hit a three-run triple and Dustin Bermudez, Braden Campbell and Barney scored two runs in the win. 

Derek Decolati (2-0) earned the win with five shutout innings. He had five strikeouts and scattered three hits and no walks.  Drew Woody threw the final two innings and had five strikeouts.

SMCC is 5-1 on its current homestand, which continues on April 13 with an ACCAC doubleheader against Cochise College. The first game starts at noon.