Mt. SAC’s Big First Propels Mounties to Semis
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mt. San Antonio
|
5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 1 |
|
San Mateo
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 1 |
Live Broadcast of the 2014 CCCAA State Championship
By Andrew Wheeler, CCCFCA Sports Information
Bakersfield, CA -- Mt. San Antonio College advanced to the semi-finals of the 2014 California Community College Athletic Association State Softball Championships on Friday evening. The Mounties, the South's #2 seed, upended North #1 seed College of San Mateo 9-5, thanks in large part to a big start to the game.
Mt. SAC's big inning was right off the bat, as they put up five runs in the top of the first inning all after a two out error. The Mounties took advantage of that new life and got an RBI single to left from Niaraye Ceasar, followed by a two RBI single off the bat of Natalie Winokur and a big pinch hit two RBI double from Stefania Aradillas.
The Mounties bided their time over the next couple of innings, until striking with a big top of the fourth. Charlotte Foster got the ball rolling with a two run bomb to center field, only to see Celina Felix follow suit in the very next at bat with a big fly to left field.
San Mateo meanwhile took awhile to get things going offensively. It all finally came to a head in the bottom of the fourth. The Bulldogs got three straight one out singles, and then a grand slam to left-center field from Natalie Saucedo. In what had become a trend, Saucedo's round tripper was followed directly by a long fly from catcher Lelani Akai, cutting the Mountie lead to three at 8-5.
Mt. SAC would try to answer in the top of the fifth. The Mounties loaded up the bases with just one out, but Bulldog relief pitcher Ashley Miller got a pop up to center field and then watched as Raquel Martinez fired the ball back into second base, doubling up the Mt. SAC runner to get out of the jam.
The Mounties would eventually add an insurance run in the top of the seventh via, another home run, this one from Ceasar. San Mateo would challenge in the bottom half of the inning, putting runners on first and second with just one out, but the Bulldogs' potential rally fell shy as Mt. SAC's Sabrina Garcia (20-3) finished out the complete game with a pair of fly outs to right.
For Mt. SAC, Ceasar finished 2 for 3 with a pair of runs and a pair of RBI's, and catcher Yumiko Hiroto was 2 for 4 with two RBI's. For San Mateo, Natalie Saucedo was 2 for 2 with a run and four RBI's.
The Mounties will play tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 PM against the winner of Santiago Canyon College and Sierra College, while the Bulldogs will play at 5:30 PM tomorrow with elimination on the line against the loser of tonight's contest.