Mt. San Antonio wins super regional over Cypress College
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
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8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | X | 14 | 18 | 0 |
CYPRESS — The Mt. San Antonio College softball team played a near-perfect game Saturday and it came at the right time of the season in the Super Regionals at Cypress College.
Now the four-time CCCAA champions are one win from returning to the state playoffs for the ninth time since 2003, after a 14-1 thrashing of No. 2 seed Cypress College in five innings.
An 18-hit outburst and three-hitter in the circle by freshman pitcher Mayra Helguera (Arroyo HS), who is 8-3, led the Mounties (36-8) to the title game today.
"My movement throws (the batters) off because I'm a slower pitcher," Helguera said of her dominance Saturday.
Mt. SAC will play Cypress, a 9-0 winner over Saddleback in the elimination game, in a rematch for the chance to advance to next weekend's four-team state championships at Bakersfield College.
"I don't know, the softball gods," second-year Mt. SAC coach Ruby Rojas said, referring to the numerous bounces that went the Mounties' way Saturday.
"Everything has been set up perfectly. I think the girls deserve it and we've been working hard every day since August for one purpose only and that's to get to the big dance.
Cypress (32-13) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a single and run-scoring double by freshman pitcher Alejandra Guillen (9-3).
The Mounties answered with eight runs on nine hits in the bottom half of the first.
Sophomore first baseman Charlotte Foster (4 for 4, 3 RBIs), who was named to the All-State team, started the outburst with an infield hit, and three more batters — shortstop Alexandrea Simmons (All-State), right fielder Brianna Gonzalez (2 for 2, 2 RBIs) out of Chino High and sophomore catcher Yumiko Hiroto (San Dimas) — all bunted successfully. Not one of the bunts went past the mound.
Sophomore third baseman Devin Vanderhoff (El Modena High), who was on the losing end two years ago to Cypress in the Super Regional championship game, hit a two-run single along with freshman second baseman Celina Felix (Montclair), who had a two-run double to center. Felix (3 for 3) was also named to the all-State team.
"There are a couple of my teammates who were with me two years ago that know what it feels like to be on that (losing) end," said Vanderhoff (3 for 3), who was named to the All-South Coast Conference second team.
Mt. SAC sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning and batted around in the second for five more runs, giving them a 13-1 lead.
All nine Mt. SAC starters had at least one hit for a team that is fifth in the state with a .416 average.