Riverside Ekes Out 4-2 Home Win over Pesky Santa An

RIVERSIDE – Scoring a pair of runs in the first and sixth innings, the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's fastpitch softball team broke a tie and finished with a 4-2 Orange Empire Conference (OEC) home win over the visiting Santa Ana College (SAC) Dons Wednesday afternoon (Apr. 10) at Brown Field (Evans Sports Complex).

 

Riverside (30-2, 15-2 OEC) pushed across the go-ahead and insurance runs in the sixth inning when freshman catcher Christina Mohl (San Bernardino – Cajon HS) lofted a fly ball into the right-field corner which glanced off the glove of SAC sophomore RF Genna Main (Pacifica HS) after a long run and went for a double. After moving to third base on a sacrifice bunt, Mohl scored on a wild pitch which sailed over the catcher's head with sophomore SS Natalie Barrios (Corona – Centennial HS) at bat to give RCC a 3-2 lead.

 

Barrios, who opened the scoring with a solo home run in the bottom of the first, stroked a single to right-center field in the sixth and then stole second. Freshman CF Desiree Broussard (Moreno Valley – Valley View HS) then singled to right field and advanced to second on the throw home, but Barrios had stopped at third. Sophomore 3B Courtney Brown (Yucaipa – Yucaipa HS) then grounded out to first base to drive in Barrios.

 

Santa Ana (21-11, 9-7 OEC) scored unearned runs in the second and third innings to forge a 2-2 tie. Freshman OF Heather Robertson (Foothill HS), who was listed as the starting RHP, but was substituted into the designated player slot before the game's first pitch, had a RBI single in the second. The Dons' third-inning run scored on a dropped fly ball in right field.

 

Barrios, Broussard and Mohl each had two hits to pace the Tigers. Sophomore CF Alexandra Perkins (Edison HS) and freshman SS Danielle Hernandez (Santiago HS) each had two singles for SAC.

 

In the top of the first inning, a rare play occurred when Perkins walked and stole second with Alyssa Yglesias at bat. Yglesias reached base on a fielder's choice when Perkins was caught in a rundown between second and third with the play being scored 5-4-6-8 with Broussard getting the rare putout by an outfielder on fielder's choice.

 

Sophomore RHP Chelsea Ponce (Norwalk / San Bernardino – Cajon HS) went the distance (seven innings) and allowed the two runs (both unearned) on eight hits and three walks and struck out four. Ponce needed 122 pitches (83 strikes) to log the win and improve to 15-1 (with two saves). SAC sophomore RHP Devon Rodriguez (Foothill HS) went the distance (six innings), but allowed all four runs (all earned) on ten hits. She walked three and struck out none, but saw her record dip to 12-4.

 

Both teams return to OEC action on Friday, April 12, at 2 p.m. when Santa Ana hosts the Orange Coast College Pirates and Riverside hosts the Cypress College Chargers in a battle for undisputed first place.