SMCC Falls in Extra Innings in Region I Division II Championship Game

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College softball team (33-26) overcame an opening-round loss to Pima CC on Thursday, May 8, by defeating Phoenix College and Scottsdale CC on Friday, May 9, to advance to the NJCAA Softball Region I Division II Tournament Final on Saturday, May 10 against the Aztecs. SMCC played all games at Phoenix College. 

In the Championship Game, the Cougars led 1-0 on a first-inning RBI single from Tazia Blake and maintained that advantage until the Aztecs connected on a pinch-hit two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth to take a 2-1 lead. Down to their final out, SMCC tied the game in the top of the seventh when Jada Montoya scored on a passed ball to send the game into extra innings. Ultimately, Pima CC prevailed in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out RBI single to earn the automatic berth to the NJCAA Division II World Series in Oxford, Ala. 

Alyssa Jemio was outstanding in the circle, throwing every pitch in the tournament for the Cougars while also producing at the plate as the team's cleanup hitter. 

Championship Game Recap (May 10)

The Cougars pressured the Aztecs from the game's first pitch and nearly forced a decisive winner-take-all contest.

Dionna Leanio singled to start the game, but a fielder's choice put Montoya at first with one out. Nadia Rascon walked, and with two outs, Blake blasted a single into right to bring in Montoya.

That lead held until the bottom of the sixth when the Aztecs finally tagged Jemio for a pair of runs. Undeterred, Montoya hit a one-out double in the seventh and tagged up to third on a flyout from Rascon. A pitch hit Jemio to put runners on the corners, and Montoya scored to tie the game on a passed ball during the next at-bat. 

SMCC worked around an Aztec threat in the bottom of the seventh as McKenna Kraft cut down a runner at the plate on a fielder's choice with one out. The Cougars went quietly in the top of the eighth, and Pima CC got a single and a walk with one out and the game-winning hit with two down. 

Jemio went 7.2 innings and allowed eight hits, three runs, and four walks to go with one strikeout. Montoya was 2 for 4 with the doubles and two runs. Rascon, Leanio, and Jerzey Jarvis joined Blake with singles. 

Scottsdale CC Recap (May 9) 

The Cougars pounded out 11 runs and 16 hits over six innings to defeat the Fighting Artichokes 11-3 in an elimination game and advance to Saturday's finals. 

Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth, SMCC scored twice to take a 5-3 lead. A pitch hit Sabrina Erran to start the inning, and she and Kraft wound up at second and third with no outs after an SCC error. Leanio brought in Erran with an RBI fielder's choice, and Jemio added a sacrifice fly to score Kraft. 

SMCC blew the game open with five runs in the fifth. Jarvis walked to start the inning and moved to third on a single and an error off the bat of Michelle Balcazar. Kraft roped an RBi single to score Jarvis, and Montoya smoked a single to left to score Balcazar. Kraft then scored on an RBI double from Rascon, and she and Montoya scored on a two-run error. 

The Cougars ended the contest in the sixth with four consecutive two-out singles, capped off by an RBI base hit from Montoya. She went 4 for 5 with two runs and two RBIs. 

Leanio was 3 for 5 with a run and an RBI, and Jemio drove in three and smacked a double. Kraft was 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. Erran and Rascon scored twice, and Jarvis went 2 for 2 with a run and two walks. 

Jemio picked up her second win of the day with six innings of work. She allowed four hits, three unearned runs, and three walks to go with four K's. 

Phoenix College Recap (May 9) 

The Cougars stunned the host Bears with a 5-3 victory in an elimination game. Jemio worked around some traffic on the basepaths in the seventh and sealed the victory with a flyout to right with two outs and the bases loaded. 

SMCC jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Leanio scored on a sac fly from Jemio. The Cougars made it 2-0 in the third on an RBI single from Jemio that brought in Leanio again. 

After PC got a run in its half of the third, SMCC made it 4-1 in the fifth. Rascon singled with one out to move Montoya to second, and Jemio recorded her third RBI of the game with a single to score Montoya. Blake then picked up an RBI single to plate Rascon. 

The Cougars tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on a two-out RBi single from Jarvis that scored Montoya. The run proved important as SMCC fended off the Bears' last hacks. 

Leanio was 3 for 4 with two runs and a stolen base, while Jemio went 3 for 3 with three RBIs. Jarvis finished 2 for 4 with an RBi and a stolen base, and Montoya was 1 for 3 with two runs. 

Jemio earned the win in the circle with seven innings of work. She navigated eight hits, three runs, and two walks with two strikeouts.  

Pima CC Recap (May 8) 

The Cougars fell 6-0 to the Aztecs in their first game of the tournament. Rascon, Montoya, and Kraft collected singles in the loss. 

Jemio took the loss with six innings in the circle. She allowed seven hits, five earned runs, and two walks. Pima CC scored one run in the first, two in the third, and three in the fourth to pick up the win.