SMCC Softball Sweeps Pima CC In Road Doubleheader

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College softball team (11-7, 11-5 ACCAC) defeated Pima Community College 7-0 and 12-9 in an Arizona Community College Athletic Conference doubleheader on Apr. 3 in Tucson. Jackie Traughber tossed a four-hit shutout with five strikeouts in the first game and helped her cause at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance that included two runs and a triple. In the second game, Tori Van Arsdale hit a pair of home runs, Mia Stankiewicz added a home run and a triple, and the Cougars posted their first road wins against the Aztecs since 2013.

Game One

Traughber was outstanding in the circle for SMCC, scattering four hits and a walk over seven innings to improve to 6-3 on the season. She also excelled at the plate as a hitter in the game, and led the squad with three hits, and added an RBI.

Alexa Key and Van Arsdale also had two hits in the victory. Key finished 2-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base, while Van Arsdale was 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base. Stankiewicz added a two-run double, and Tara Lorona had a two-run triple in the win. Destiny Apodaca scored a run and stole two bases, and Taylor Mount recorded the team's fifth stolen base of the game.

The Cougars struck for two runs in the first and added a third run in the second to take the early lead. They added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth to back up Traughber's performance.

Game Two

SMCC overcame an early 5-0 deficit and used a six-run fourth to push past the Aztecs 12-9 and complete the sweep.

The Cougars scored a run in the second, two in the third and then plated six in the fourth to overcome that early deficit. Leading 9-7, SMCC scored three more runs and held off a Pima CC rally to preserve the sweep.

Traughber (7-3) picked up the win with 6.2 innings of relief work. She worked around nine hits and did not walk a batter to go with two strikeouts. Christian Smith started the game for SMCC.

Van Arsdale finished 3-for-5 with two runs, five RBIs, two home runs and two stolen bases. Traughber had another three hits and went 3-for-4 with three runs, an RBI and a double. Stankiewicz was 3-for-4 with three runs, four RBIs, a triple and a home run.

Apodaca went 2-for-4 with a run scored and her third stolen base of the day, while Lorona added a base hit and a stolen base. Key went 1-for-4 with a run, two RBIs and the team's fifth stolen base of the same and 10th of the day.

The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, Apr. 6, with an ACCAC home doubleheader against Paradise Valley CC. The first game starts at 1 p.m.