The Scottsdale Community College (SCC) Artichokes hosted their first game in March against the Gateway Community College (GCC) Geckos.

SCC (12-12) came off a split series against Phoenix College.

GCC (6-15) off a split series against Mesa Community College.

On the mound for the Artichokes was left-hander Zack Young.

For the Geckos, right-hander Angel Fragozo, a medical red-shirt freshman.

Fragozo tore his lat last spring.

“Got back this year—now I’ve been ready.”

GCC got to scoring right away in the top of the first inning, after a bases clearing double by Kyle Hubert scored two runs.

SCC tied the game at two runs after a fly ball got lost in the sun, dropping safely into center field.

The top of the third inning was going smoothly for Young; two pitches and two outs.

The next batter was sophomore GCC outfielder, Matthew Maize.

“First two guys go down, I get a take sign. You see a few pitches, you know what the pitches look like, you see the shapes. He started me with a slider, fastball. Going back to that third pitch, I’m thinking slider again, and there it is, you see it and you pull it,” Maize said

Maize left the yard to right field putting the Geckos up 3-2.

SCC turned to the bullpen earlier than they would’ve liked as Young exited after 3.2 innings.

Entering the bottom of the fourth, the Geckos led 4-2, and Fragozo had retired the last four batters.

That changed when SCC’s Luke Calendo stepped up to the plate.

The Artichoke dugout erupted as they watched Calendo’s ball fly over the right field wall—the game was tied again at 4-4.

SCC looked to flip the game in their favor, as they put two more runners on base for the top of their lineup.

But SCC’s Ryder Florence grounded into a fielder’s choice, ending the inning 4-4.

The energy was high on both sides as each teams’ bats were hot.

The Geckos quickly answered with a leadoff double from their catcher Bryk Barnard, bringing energy back into their dugout.

GCC’s Kyle Hubert reclaimed the lead with a hit that just evaded the diving second baseman, 5-4 Geckos.

SCC once again battled back.

Center fielder Carson Feddema ripped a single to right field, followed by a slow roller from third baseman Braiden Reynolds, putting two runners on base with no outs.

Fragozo escaped the jam—stranding the runners on base.

“I try not to think about the runners, props to them if they get on base, but after that I’ma compete, get my three outs and get out of there,” Fragozo said.

The Gecko dugout cheered for their starter; a resilient outing thus far.

The Artichokes were silent, as they put up a zero in a crucial inning.

The next inning for SCC’s offense was a similar story.

Fragozo gave up a double to SCC’s Brevin Matthews, but the following batters could not bring Matthews home.

Fargozo’s day would end after six innings, 10 hits, six strikeouts, and only one walk.

Northeast Valley News asked how he kept his composure following the homerun in the fourth,

“I went out there, and I was like ‘I gotta relax’, I gotta keep on doing what I was doing the first couple innings, and gave it my best out there.”

SCC’s bullpen struggled to keep the game within reach with a disastrous seventh inning—allowing six GCC runs.

The seventh inning barrage was highlighted by a two RBI single from GCC’s Micah Bartle, adding even more insurance to the Gecko’s five run lead at 9-4.

The bleeding finally stopped for SCC with a groundout, but the damage was already done—the Geckos led 11-4.

The GCC Geckos take game one of the series, a triumphant 13-6 win.

SCC hopes to bounce back for their second game with some of their top arms ready to go.

“We got Dalton going, so hopefully he can give us a lengthy start, and get us into the sixth or seventh inning,” said SCC pitching coach Jack Slominski.

Slominski told Northeast Valley News that “consistency level definitely needs to raise” from the pitching staff for them to win more games.

The Artichokes fall to 12-13 on the season.