Marruffo hits 3 homers as Pima baseball splits at Yavapai

The Pima Community College baseball team (28-19, 17-12 in conference) earned a split at Yavapai College on Saturday, responding in a dominant way after dropping a close first game.

Kellen Marruffo (Sabino HS) had a great day at the plate, going 6 for 9 with three home runs, six RBIs and six runs scored. Trey Stine (Ironwood Ridge HS) also had a great day, going 5 for 7 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

The Aztecs held three one-run leads in the first game but Yavapai College scored the winning run in the eighth inning in Pima’s 4-3 loss.

Ben Skuro (Sabino HS) suffered his first loss of the season (4-1), pitching two and one-third innings while giving up two runs (two earned) on five hits with one strikeout. Cole Plouck (Empire HS) started and went five innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits with one strikeout and five walks.

The Aztecs took the lead in the second inning when Marruffo led off with a triple and Stine followed up with an RBI single. Marruffo would score another run in the fourth inning when Juan Gamez (Cienega HS) hit an RBI double to give Pima a 2-1 lead. With the game tied 2-2 in the sixth inning, Marruffo came through again with a solo home run. Yavapai scored one run in the sixth and one in the eighth to win it. Marruffo was 3 for 4 with three runs scored and an RBI. Stine and Game were each 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Marruffo continued his sharp offense, hitting two home runs in the second game as the Aztecs won 13-2 in seven innings. He hit an RBI double in the first inning and a two-run homer in the third to make it 5-0. He hit another two-run homer as part of a five-run sixth inning to make it 11-2. Marruffo finished 3 for 5 with five RBIs and three runs scored.

James Lynch hit two RBI doubles in the game and finished 3 for 4 with four runs scored and two RBIs. Brandon Burke (Canyon del Oro HS) hit a two-run RBI double in the sixth inning and finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs. Stine was 3 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Ethan Rosebeck (Cienega HS) got back in the win column (6-1) after losing his first game of the season, pitching seven innings while giving up two runs (two earned) on four hits with six strikeouts and one walk on 68 pitches.

The Aztecs will be back at the West Campus on Tuesday when they host a conference doubleheader against Eastern Arizona College. The games will be at noon and 2:30 p.m.