The Scottsdale Community College (SCC) Artichokes played their series finale at home against the Mesa Community College (MCC) Thunderbirds.

The Artichokes lost their last two games falling to 7-10.

The Thunderbirds are the No. 1 team in the ACCAC Division 2 at 12-3.

In Tuesday’s matchup at MCC, the teams put together a score that fans might see in football, 24-15.

SCC head coach Ty Gavin told Northeast Valley News, “Hitters had good approaches both sides, and tight zone, so pitchers were forced to get it over the plate.”

Gavin said the wind was a factor as well, helping hitters leave the park easier.

Wednesday the weather would be similar with light rain and wind gusts.

“Anything in the air to the outfield is gonna carry, so you just go into these games thinking, we gotta get to 15 or 18 runs, and give ourselves a chance to win,” Gavin said.

SCC’s starter was RHP Dalton Hanson.

MCC’s starter was RHP Louis Berg.

The Artichokes were the first to score in the bottom of the first with four runs.

The leadoff-hitter for SCC, Ryder Florence, did his job getting on base with a grounder past the second baseman.

Carson Feddema followed with a walk, and then a balk by Berg helped move the two runners into scoring position.

From there, the Artichokes simply put the ball in play to score runners, with a fielder’s choice, sacrifice fly, and bloop hit into right field.

In the top of the second, the Thunderbirds answered back with their own small ball.

MCC hitters put together consecutive grounders past the third baseman to get traffic on the bases.

Thunderbird’s first baseman, Cameron Lopez, picked up the first RBI with another groundball that escaped the third baseman’s glove.

MCC was back to the top of their batting order with Austin Miller.

With two runners in scoring position, Hanson waved Miller with a breaking ball but the Thunderbirds did their damage with two runs in the inning.

In the bottom of the third, the Artichokes offense exploded.

SCC first baseman, Braden Burness went yard to opposite field, driving in two runs.

The next batter, Will Salihar, followed Burness with a moonshot into right field.

The Artichoke dugout erupted in celebration following Salihar’s homerun as the team extended their lead to four at 7-3.

The right-hander Hanson kept the Artichoke lead to four—throwing three scoreless innings.

Hanson’s final statline—6 IP, 2 ER, 1 BB, and 6 SO.

SCC pitching coach Jack Slominski told Northeast Valley News, “That’s the best I’ve seen him compete since I’ve been here. Went six strong and we really needed that after yesterday, we used a lot of guys out of the bullpen.”

The Artichokes turned to RHP Hudson Harrison in relief.

Harrison had a strong seventh but in the eighth, MCC battled back.

The Thunderbirds put two runners on base with one out.

Harrison was pulled, the right-hander Logan Spetz, who was also batting in the lineup, would enter.

MCC also countered with their own personnel changes with a pinch-hitter in Noah Allison.

Allison delivered in the biggest way—a three-run homer over the right field wall.

The Thunderbird’s didn’t give up—the game was 7-6.

In the ninth inning, the chaos continued.

Another MCC pinch-hitter, Beau Tarwater, slapped a single up the middle to get on base with no outs.

The next “Mann” up, Luke Mann, kept the bases moving after reaching first safely with a bunt—and moving the tying runner in Tarwater to second.

The order came back to the top in Miller, who hit a flyout deep enough to move the runner to third.

The Thunderbirds were 90 feet away from tying the game.

The next batter was Antonio Spencer-Thomas.

With the game on the line, Spencer-Thomas hit a grounder to the second baseman.

But the Artichokes could not stop the tying runner from crossing home plate.

The game was tied at seven entering the bottom of the ninth; it was SCC’s turn to bat.

The MCC reliever, Patrick Geary, had thrown two scoreless innings entering the ninth, and it seemed like the Artichoke’s offense had stalled.

SCC pinch-hitter Jack Wilson, leadoff the ninth and got on base with a liner past the second baseman.

SCC catcher Cas Herold bunted to move the winning run in Wilson to second.

In the following at bat, Spetz flew to left field, but MCC LF Noah Allison slipped, allowing the fly ball to drop.

Then, with two outs, SCC third baseman Braiden Reynolds, hit a fly ball to left field.

Allison was running to the wall, but couldn’t make the catch.

Reynolds walked it off for the Artichokes in an 8-7 victory over the Thunderbirds.