J.T. Drake throws complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts as Baseball advances to Region I Finals

The Pima Community College baseball team (44-14) is heading back to the Region I, Division I Championship round for a second consecutive season.

• The No. 2 seeded Aztecs defeated No. 3 Arizona Western College 4-0 on Friday in Game 2 of the Region I, Division I Semifinals to earn the sweep.
• Sophomore RHP J.T. Drake was unstoppable as he pitched a complete-game, giving up three hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks. He retired 11 straight between the 1^st and 4^th innings and produced five innings where he got the Matadors out in order.
• "I felt great, the confidence my team gives me to play makes these performances possible," Drake said. "I wanted to make sure to mix in my off-speeds really well, and keeping them off-balance the whole game, was very effective."
• The Aztecs got on the board in the 4^th inning when sophomore Ruben Castro (Tucson Magnet HS) hit an RBI double to score sophomore David Shackelford, who reached base on a fielder's choice.
• Sophomore Jontae Hennesy (Horizon HS) hit a lead-off single in the 6^th inning and advanced on the basepaths until he scored on a passed ball to make it 2-0.
• Sophomore Caleb Herd (Cienega HS) hit an RBI double with one out in the 8^th inning to score sophomore Antonio Avila. Herd later scored on an error.
• Shackelford finished the game 2 for 4 with a run scored while Herd went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. Castro was 1 for 3 with an RBI and Avila and Henessy each were 1 for 3 with a run scored. Sophomore Elijah Reeves (Marana HS) was 1 for 4 with an RBI.

AWC   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0   3   2
PCC     0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 x   4   9   1

W – Drake (9-3). 2B: Herd, Castro. SB: Avila, Senior, Castro.

The Aztecs will play the winner of the No. 1 seed Central Arizona College/No. 4 seed South Mountain Community College Region I, Division I Semifinals. The series is tied at 1-1 and the deciding Game 3 is tomorrow at Central Arizona College at 12:00 p.m.
If the Vaqueros win, the Aztecs will play at Central Arizona College next week. If the Cougars win, the Aztecs will host the best-of-3 series at the West Campus Aztec Field.