Pirates clobber Cougars in DH sweep

COSTA MESA -- After struggling for four games to find ANY offense, the Orange Coast College softball team found success at the plate in a big way, sweeping past College of the Canyons, 8-2 and 15-2 in Friday's nonconference doubleheader at the Pirate Softball Stadium.

The early goings of game 1 was a pitcher's dual before the Pirates (18-6) broke the scoreless tie, courtesy of a two-run home run off the bat of Reyna Hernandez. The two-run shot not only snapped a 29-inning scoreless streak for the Pirates it helped jump-start the entire OCC offense.

Canyons (11-15) tied the game at 2 in the top of the sixth, only to see the Pirates respond with six in the bottom of the frame.

Coast loaded the bases with nobody out with the help of a single, a COC error and walk. Kileah Lologo came off the bench and lined a three-run double down the left-field line to clear the bases and put Coast up 5-2. From there, Coast tacked on three more runs with the help of an RBI-single by Jasmyn Morales and an RBI-double by Anaiyah Yniguez to cap off the scoring.

That was plenty of run support for pitcher Ruby Fidge, who went the distance and improve to 7-2 for the season. She allowed just two runs on nine hits to pick up the win.

In the second game, it was ALL-Pirates as they jumped ahead early and ended things after five innings, 15-2.

Yniguez came in and pitched five effective innings for Coast, holding the Cougars to two runs on five hits with four strikeouts, battling out of some early-game control problems to find her rhythm.

She was her biggest helper at the plate as well, going 3-for-3, including a grand slam, three runs and five RBI. Lologo slugged a solo home run and finished with three RBI in Game 2 and six RBI for the doubleheader.

Coast pounded out 15 runs on 14 hits with seven walks and no strikeouts. Nine difference Pirate players scored runs and seven different Pirates drove in runs.

Natalie Lowthers went 2-for-3 with three runs and an RBI, Melissa Hanson added two hits, two runs and two RBI and Morales tacked on a pair of hits, a run and an RBI.

Coast will return to Orange Empire Conference play on Tuesday at home against Fullerton College, beginning at 3 p.m.