Cuesta Softball is now in the driver's seat as their journey towards the post-season continues, after beating Los Angeles Pierce, 7-1. The Cougars are currently in second place in the Western State Conference and chasing their first playoff berth since 2015.  Each conference in the Southern California Region is allotted two automatic playoff berths and, while every is chasing undefeated loop-leader Moorpark, the Cougars own a two-game lead over 3rd place Ventura and a 2.5 game lead over local rival Allan Hancock with two games to play.  The Cougars are also still in position, mathematically, to win a piece of their first conference title since 2008. If Cuesta wins this Thursday (2:30) at home against Santa Monica and adds a win over Moorpark on the last day of the season, while Moorpark also falls to a scrappy Pierce team, there would be a tie for first place in the WSC.  However, more important for the Cougars is to pick up a win this Thursday (2:30) against visiting Santa Monica to book their ticket to the post-season. The Cougars beat the Corsairs, 31-3, in their first meeting in Santa Monica on March 26.  

It was a slow start for the Cougars today as Cuesta Ace Isabella Garcia (pict) dueled with Pierce Fireballer Kristjana Lewis.  The Cougars netted only one-run in the first four innings as the pitchers dominated the contest.  In the 3rd inning, Cuesta's All-WSC Shortstop Reese Tartaglia finally broke through when she smacked a two-out Double to score Third Baseman Kylyn Parker and get the Cougars on the board.  However, the bats went quiet, until Tartaglia came back around in the 5th inning to break the game open with two more RBI to secure the victory, 7-1.  Parker and Garcia joined Tartaglia to give the Cougars three players with multi-hit games.  Parker went 3-for-4, while scoring a game-high three runs, and Garcia, who earned the winning decision in the Circle, went 2-for-3 with Pinch Runner Hannah Hollingsworth taking her place to score in the 6th inning.