Posted: Mar 12, 2026
No. 4 SMCC Baseball Powers Past Phoenix College in ACCAC Series
Phoenix College
4
#4 South Mountain Community College
12
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Phoenix College | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
|
#4 South Mountain Community College | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 1 |
#4 South Mountain Community College
13
Phoenix College
5
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
#4 South Mountain Community College | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 17 | 2 |
|
Phoenix College | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
PHOENiX ---
The No. 4 South Mountain Community College baseball team (22-9, 14-4 ACCAC Division II) swept a two-game ACCAC Division II series with Phoenix College, winning 12-4 (8 innings) at home on Mar. 10 before a 13-5 road victory on Wednesday, Mar. 11. Sophomores Bryan Lorenz and Luke Hewes had three hits apiece and freshman Liu Rodriguez Jr. posted four RBIs as the Cougars rolled to an eight-inning home victory in game one. In the second game, freshman Brandon Ornelas led the charge offensively with four hits, and five other Cougars had multi-hit games to lead SMCC to the road win to clinch the season series with the Bears.
Game One Recap
SMCC led 5-2 after three innings, held off several Bear comeback attempts, and scored five runs over the final two innings to post the 12-4, eight-inning victory.
After PC scored twice in the top of the first, SMCC responded with three runs in its half of the frame. Hewes drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk and Rodriguez Jr. plated two more with a two-out, two-run single.
In the bottom of the second, Lorenz brought in sophomore Bobby Pierce Jr. with a two-out RBI double, and made it 5-2 in the third on a two-out RBI triple from freshman Nathan Bayus that scored Hewes.
Rodriguez Jr. recorded his third RBI on a groundout in the fifth that scored Ornelas, and Bayus added his second RBI with a bunt single that scored sophomore Jack Meissner.
With the score 7-4 in the bottom of the seventh, Hewes and Rodriguez Jr. started the frame with consecutive doubles to put SMCC ahead four. Pierce Jr. later drew a bases-loaded walk, and Lorenz roped a two-run double to put the Cougars ahead 11-4.
In the eighth, Hewes singled, and a pitch hit Rodriguez Jr. to put two on with one out. Sophomore Nuri Todd ended the game with an RBI single to center that scored Hewes.
Lorenz finished 3 for 5 with three RBIs, two doubles, and one run, while Hewes was 3 for 3 with three runs, two walks, a double, and one RBI.
Rodriguez Jr. went 2 for 4 with four RBIs, a double, a stolen base, and a run, and Bayus was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, a double, a run, and a walk.
Todd also had two hits, going 2 for 4 with a run, a sac bunt, and an RBI. Meissner walked and scored twice, and Ornelas scored twice and stole a base.
On the mound, freshman Dallas Dunn (1-0) earned his first win of the season with five innings of relief work. He allowed one hit, one earned run, and two walks while fanning four. Diego Rodriguez, Caden Robinett, Gennaro Brito, and Denzel Montijo all saw time on the mound as well.
Game Two Recap
SMCC overcame an early 3-0 deficit with two runs in the third, four in the fifth, one in the sixth, and six in the ninth to record the 13-5 road victory.
Trailing 3-0 in the top of the third, Lorenz singled to score Pierce Jr. and Meissner singled to score sophomore Ernie Alvarez.
The Cougars took a 4-3 lead in the fifth on a two-run single from Ornelas that plated Alvarez and Lorenz. He later scored on a passed ball, and sophomore Jaden Leon delivered a pinch-hit RBI double that scored Hewes to put SMCC ahead 6-3.
Meissner added an RBI single in the sixth that scored Alvarez, and the Cougars scored six runs in the ninth to snuff out any hopes of a Bear comeback.
Sophomore Gavin Short picked up an RBI when a pitch hit him with the bases loaded, and Todd recorded a two-run single that scored Hewes and Rodriguez Jr. Pierce Jr., Alvarez, and freshman Gabe Coltman added RBIs in the frame.
Ornelas was 4 for 5 with two runs, two RBIs, a stolen base, and a walk, while Alvarez went 2 for 4 with four runs, a double, and a walk.
Lorenz finished 3 for 6 with a run, a stolen base, and an RBI, while Meissner was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a walk. Pierce Jr. was 2 for 6 with a run and an RBI, and Todd was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, a run, and a walk. Hewes scored twice and added a base hit.
On the mound, freshman Izaiah Moraga (2-2) earned the win with four innings of relief. He allowed two hits and one walk while fanning four.
Sophomore Blake Bell, Brito, and Robinett all saw time in relief for SMCC. Sophomore Braeden McCarroll started the game and went one inning for the Cougars.