Santiago Canyon Eliminates San Mateo; Advances to Elimination Game

Live Broadcast of the 2014 CCCAA State Championship

By Andrew Wheeler, CCCFCA Sports Information

Bakersfield, CA -- Santiago Canyon College, the top seed out Southern California, staved off elimination on Saturday evening, and eliminated North #1 College of San Mateo. The Hawks racked up 13 hits, and outlasted a pesky Bulldog squad in a back and forth affair 8-5.

Santiago Canyon landed the first blow in the top of the first. McRae Cayton led the game off with a triple to center field, and scored two at bats later when Tori Duquette singled back up the middle of the field, giving the Hawks an early 1-0 lead. College of San Mateo answered immediately, plating a pair in the bottom of the first. Melina Rodriguez drove in both scores, with a two RBI triple to right-center field.

The Bulldogs' lead didn't last long. Santiago rallied with four scores in the top of the second. Duquette got the ball rolling with a bases loaded RBI walk. Four pitches later Sidney Abounassar cleared the bases with a three RBI double to right-center. The Hawks would add to their lead in the top of the fourth. Desiree Rascon hit an RBI single to left, and Madison Smith lifted a sacrifice fly to left that made it 7-3 Santiago.

San Mateo refused to go away quietly. The Bulldogs' Lelani Akai got an RBI fielder's choice that scored Brooke Ramsey from third. CSM got another in the top of the fifth. The Bulldogs put runners on the corners with two outs, and Rodriguez came through again for San Mateo with a RBI single through the left side of the field that made it 7-5.

After that it was all Santiago. Cayton gave the Hawks a little more cushion in the top of the seventh. After Stephanie Pelletier led the inning off with a double to right-center, Cayton found the same gap two at bats later to make it 8-5. The Bulldogs would threaten in a big way in the bottom of the seventh, even cutting the lead to two. Both Skania Lemus and Rodriguez drove in runs with two outs, but Wade bore down and got a pop up to end the threat and the game.

Santiago's Carly Wade (24-5) would get the win, pitching six innings, with one strikeout, no walks, and surrendering five runs. Cayton would finish 3 for 5, while Duquette was 3 for 4. For San Mateo, Lemus was 3 for 4, as was Melina Rodriguez.

With the win, Hawks survive for at least another game. Santiago Canyon will take on Mt. San Antonio College with elimination on the line in approximately 30 minutes.