SMCC Softball Splits Doubleheader with Glendale CC

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College softball team (7-8, 4-4 ACCAC) split a home ACCAC doubleheader with Glendale Community College on Saturday, Feb. 15. The Cougars led 10-3 early in game one only for the Gauchos to rally for a 14-13 victory. SMCC did a better job quieting the Gaucho offense in the second game en route to a 13-2, five-inning victory. 

Game One Recap

The Cougars led early but could not hold on to their lead in a 14-13 loss. 

Sophomore Nadia Rascon finished 3 for 3 with three runs, two doubles, two RBIs, and one walk. Sophomore Sadie Su'a was 4 for 5 with a double and two RBIs, and freshman Tazia Blake went 2 for 4 with two runs, two RBIs, and a double. 

Trailing 1-0 after half an inning, Rascon hit an RBI double that scored sophomore Jada Montoya. Su'a singled, and Rascon scored to put SMCC ahead 2-1 on an RBI fielder's choice from freshman Alyssa Jemio. 

SMCC added more runs in the second on an RBI fielder's choice from sophomore Dionna Leanio and an RBI groundout from Montoya. Rascon later delivered a sacrifice fly that brought home freshman Eva Harrison, and Su'a smacked an RBI double that scored Leanio to make it 6-1. 

After GCC cut the lead to 6-3 in the third off SMCC starter Nuvia Urquiza, SMCC got a two-run home run from freshman Tammy Arnold, an RBI triple from Montoya, and an RBI single from Su'a to put SMCC ahead 10-3. 

The Gauchos cut the lead to 10-7 in the fourth and took a 12-10 lead in the fifth. SMCC got to within 12-11 on an RBI single from Jemio. However, GCC scored a pair of insurance runs in the seventh, which proved costly. Blake smacked a two-run, two-out double in the Cougars' half of the seventh but was stranded there to end the game with the Gauchos winning 14-13. 

Montoya was 2 for 4 with two runs, two RBIs, a triple, and a stolen base. Leanio scored twice and had an RBI, and Jemio was 2 for 4 with two RBIs. 

Sophomore Aryka Ortega (1-3) took the loss in the circle for SMCC, tossing three innings of relief with eight hits, two earned runs, and two strikeouts. Urquiza went four innings with seven hits, four earned runs, and one walk. Freshman Kayle James also saw time in the circle for SMCC.  

Game Two Recap

The Cougars scored early, and Jemio and the SMCC defense worked around several jams to lift SMCC to a 13-2, five-inning victory. 

In the first, SMCC got a two-out, RBI double from Su'a to score sophomore Sabrina Erran and an RBI single from sophomore Michelle Balcazar to take a 2-0 lead. 

Freshman Jerzey Jarvis added an RBI single in the second to score Jemio and make it 3-0. 

After the Gauchos got a run in their half of the third, SMCC scored six times to break the game open. Balcazar had an RBI single, freshman Kaeliann Glass added an RBI double, and Jemio scored on a wild pitch. That set up Montoya, who blasted a two-run home run to right field to make it 9-1. 

SMCC added four more runs in the fourth. Balcazar posted her third RBI single, Jemio had an RBI double, Glass hit an RBI single, and Jemio later scored by stealing home. 

Su'a finished 3 for 3 with three runs, two doubles, and an RBI, while Balcazar was 3 for 3 with four RBIs and a run. Jemio had a pair of doubles and scored three runs, while Glass was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a double. Blake went 2 for 3 with two runs, and Montoya was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and the home run. 

Jemio (3-1) earned the win in the circle and tossed a complete game. She allowed five hits, two earned runs, and four walks in five innings.