San Mateo Powers Their Way Past Fullerton
Bakersfield, CA - The top seed from Northern California, College of San Mateo powered their way past Southern California #4 seed Fullerton College in nine-innings on Friday afternoon in the opening round of the 2019 CCCAA State Softball Championships. The Bulldogs hit four home runs on the day, scoring all five of their runs on long flies, in a 5-4 victory.
The Bulldogs dealt the first blow of the game. Freshman right fielder Amanda Weitenhagen would lead off the bottom of the second with a walk. Moments later freshman catcher Riley Donovan blatsed the ball over the left field wall.
The Hornets responded right away, utilizing a San Mateo error in the top of the third to put runners on second and third with one out. Sophomore right fielder Desiree Guzman scored the Hornets' first run, scoring on a wild pitch. A few pitches later, sophomore catcher Veronica Garza laced a single to left to tie the game up at two runs a piece.
In the top of the fourth, Fullerton would briefly take the lead when freshman first baseman Khloe Lilavois hit a solo bomb to center field. Unfortunately for the Hornets, Donovan answered with her second long lfy of the game, when she hit a laser over the fence in left field to tie the game back-up at three in the bottom of the fourth.
Both teams came up empty in the fifth. In the top of the sixth, Fullerton scractched out another run. Freshman third baseman Sarah Rengifo would draw a one-out walk, and then moved to second after a line out and ensuing throw ended up in the dirt. Rengifo would then head to third on a passed ball, and eventually score on a bloop single to left by Guzman that gave the Hornets a 4-3 advantage.
Down once again, San Mateo used the long ball to tie the game back up. This time it was Weitenhagen's turn as she hit one out to right-center field to make it 4-4. It would stay 4-4 through the seventh and eighth innings as both teams had small opportunities, but neither were able to cash them in.
In the top of the ninth, sophomore pitcher Emily McAdams set down Fullerton in order getting a ground out, fly out, and strikeout to end any Hornet threat. In the bottom half of the inning, Fullerton wouldn't be able to return the favor as sophomore first baseman Ally Sarabia hit a deep home run to left field for the walk-off win.
McAdams (31-1) would get the win in the circle for San Mateo. McAdams scattered eight hits, four runs (two earned), and a pair of walks over the course of nine innings worth of work. McAdams also tried to help her own cause going 2-for-4 at the dish. Donovan would finish her day 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs, hitting two home runs. Weitenhagen was 1-for-3 with a pair of runs, and Sarabia 1-for-4.
For the Hornets Llavois and Guzman both went 2-for-4.
With the win, San Mateo (42-2) advances to the quarterfinals where they will take on NorCal #3 San Joaquin Delta College tomorrow afternoon at 9:00 AM at Bakersfield College. Fullerton (37-8) meanwhile drops into the elimination bracket and will take on Orange Empire Conference rival Cypress College at Cal State Bakersfield tomorrow at 9:00 AM.
