Hawks Bested by Top-Ranked Teams in Weekend Doubleheader

The Santiago Canyon College softball team hit the road this past weekend and faced off against the top-ranked Mt. San Antonio College Mounties and the No. 5 Palomar College Comets in non-conference action. The Hawks lost both contests, but battled in both games with one game being decided in the final frame.

Game One: Mt. San Antonio defeats Santiago Canyon, 6-1

The Hawks battled with the top-ranked Mounties on the road, but a rough fifth and sixth innings handed the Hawks a loss.

SCC barreled seven hits on the day with a pair coming from freshman shortstop Millie Maher and sophomore catcher Reneem Kerdiya. Maher, who was slotted in the leadoff slot for the first time this season, recorded two singles and swiped a bag to bring her total to three. It was her second multi-hit contest of the season after going 2-for-4 against Bakersfield earlier this month.

R. Kerdiya provided the only extra base hit by blasting a two-out double in the top of the third inning. She began her day with a base hit up the middle in the first inning.

The Hawks scored one run in the top of the fifth inning after freshman center fielder Haley Perez led off the inning by reaching via error. After a sacrifice bunt from Maher that moved Perez into scoring position, freshman left fielder Alyssa Patlan drove her home on a single to center field.

Sophomore hurler Madison Lee (3-7) was tabbed with the loss after tossing five innings and allowing three earned runs on seven hits. The back breakers were allowing a pair of homeruns.

Game Two: Palomar defeats Santiago Canyon, 3-1

Despite the end result, the Hawks and Comets found themselves in a classic pitcher's dual throughout the majority of the contest.

SCC jumped out to an early one-run lead in the bottom of the first inning. Maher reached on a free pass and promptly swiped her fourth bag of the season to put her in scoring position. Despite two quick outs to follow, freshman designated player Isabella Altamirano sent her trotting home on a two-out single to left center.

Lee earned the start in the circle once again and got to work in the first inning by stranding two runners on base capped with a swinging strikeout. She blanked the Comets in the following two frames with some help from R. Kerdiya behind the plate.

In the top of the third inning, the sophomore backstop hosed a potential base stealer on her way to third. Lee continued on to force two-consecutive groundouts to preserve the Hawk's lead.  

Lee progressively became more dominant as she allowed a mere two baserunners in the ensuing three innings. She heavily utilized a flawless defense while striking out one batter.

However, the Comets were able to scratch across three runs in the top of the seventh inning after they loaded the bases with nobody out. The Hawks eventually fell, 3-1.

Altamirano led the offense by going 2-for-3 with an RBI single. Lee barreled one hit, while freshman third baseman Kianna Bell recorded the fourth and final hit.