San Mateo Sends Sierra Home
Walnut, CA - College of San Mateo (NorCal No. 1) stayed alive in the 2018 CCCAA State Softball Championships for the second straight game on Friday evening. The Bulldogs took down NorCal No. 2 Sierra College 9-4, sending the Wolverines home for the weekend.
Sierra (38-9) struck first with an RBI double to right-center by freshman Amaryssa Medina in the bottom of the first. The Wolverines would add two more in the bottom of the second one thanks to a San Mateo error, and the other on an RBI groundout. San Mateo would be held scoreless until the top of the fifth when freshman Leaness Donn led things off with a triple to right-center. A few pitches later sophomore Allie Stines drove her in with a hard groundout to the Sierra shortstop.
San Mateo (41-5) would have another great opportunity in the top of the sixth, and they didn't let it pass. The Bulldogs would load up the bases with two outs. Facing a 1-2 hole, Stines ripped a single to center field, plating a pair of runs and tying the game up. A minute later, sophomore Lauren Quirke hit a single to right that drove in two more and gave the Bulldogs a 5-3 lead.
In the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs added to their lead. An error by Sierra to lead off the inning, eventually led to a run when freshman Hailey Hiett put a single into left field. Another error would lead to two more runs for San Mateo. The Bulldogs got one last run when Quirke hit a single to left, scoring Hiett and making it 9-3.
The Wolverines would have one last rally attempt in the bottom of the seventh. Virgie Robello would pull Sierra to within five with an RBI single to center field. Despite having the bases loaded with just one out, that was the last score to cross the plate as San Mateo threw a runner out at home and got a groundout to first to end the game.
Quirke (16-2) would get the victory for the Bulldogs in the circle, pitching all seven innings, giving up four total runs, two of which were earned. Quirke was also 4-for-4 at the plate, driving in three RBIs. Stines also drove in three, going 2-for-5 at the plate. For Sierra, Medina was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
With the win, San Mateo advances to the next elimination game tomorrow at 12:00 PM. The Bulldogs will take on the Chargers of Cypress in yet another win or go home scenario.