Mesa Legend - Sports - Softball team drops tough contest to Pima

Softball team drops tough contest to Pima
Nick Kosmider
Mesa Legend
Missed opportunities spelled defeat for the Mesa Lady Thunderbird softball team on April 10 in their afternoon matchup with Pima Community College.
With the score 2-0 Pima in the bottom of the 2nd inning, Jessica Defritas came to plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Aztec pitcher Dana Alcocer pitched carefully to the defending NJCAA Player of the Year, and Defritas drew an RBI walk to cut the Aztec’s lead to one.
After Defritas’ walk though, MCC outfielder Stephanie Bisgard fouled out to end the threat for the Thunderbirds.
After the Aztecs scored another run in the top of the 3rd inning, MCC again loaded the bases, but was unable to manufacture a run and the score remained 3-1.
In top of the 4th inning, Pima extended the lead to 4-1 with a towering home run by the Aztec’s Kelly Nielson.
In the bottom of the 4th, Mesa’s bats started to come alive as they pushed to make a comeback.
An RBI single by the Thunderbirds’ Emily Farrier made the score 4-2.
After retiring the Aztec’s in order in the top half of the 5th inning, including an impressive double play, the Thunderbirds got another rally going in the bottom half of the inning.
With one out in the inning, Defreitas reached on a fielder’s choice. After a walk, MCC’s Natalie Bejarano knocked an RBI that scored Defreitas. That however would be as close as the Thunderbirds would get in this game.
In the top of the 6th inning, the Aztecs’ Lisette Cota led off with a double. Pima then loaded the bases for sophomore Amanda Duran.
A scary moment in the game came when Duran fouled a Theresa Tautimez softball off of her face. Duran was on the ground for several minutes before being helped to her feet. She was able to finish her at bat and fouled out for the first out of the inning.
Next up for the Aztecs was Kelly Nelson who drilled an RBI single to push the Pima lead to 5-3.
Next up for the Aztecs was Monica Llanez, who also hit an RBI single to push the lead to 6-3. That would be the final score as the Lady Thunderbirds were unable to put any runs across in the bottom half of the sixth.
The loss was the first game of a double-header, but the second game came after deadline for the Mesa Legend.
The Thunderbirds are currently 38-16, first in Division II of the ACCAC. They were ranked third in the nation on April 8.