SBCC saved the best for last on Tuesday in the final regular-season softball game.
Trailing 6-2 in the bottom of the seventh at Pershing Park, the Vaqueros got a two-run double from Nicole Adair and a three-run, walk-off homer by Laura Cannon to stun Hancock 7-6.
“I was glad my teammates were on base and I just wanted to get a base hit,” said Cannon, a sophomore shortstop who went 2-4 with four RBIs. “It was a high pitch and I got under it.”
Cannon, who’s batting .455, delivered her second walk-off winner of the year. She leads the team in homers (4) and RBIs (32).
Santa Barbara, ranked No. 7 in Southern Cal and 13th in the state, won for the sixth straight time to improve to 31-5 overall and 16-2 in the WSC Gold Division. The Vaqueros secured their first conference title last Thursday.
Kailey Snyder (27-4) overcame a rocky start to earn the victory. She struck out 14, the second-highest total in school history. She set the school record earlier this year by fanning 15 Moorpark batters.
Snyder is No. 2 in the state in strikeouts with 233 in 199 innings.
Hancock (8-28, 3-15) took a 4-0 lead after 2½ innings. Starting pitcher Britany Matlock hit a solo homer in the third off Snyder and Caitlin Voss belted her sixth, a two-run, two-out shot in the seventh that put the visitors ahead 6-2.
Snyder had only allowed three homers all year coming into Tuesday’s game. The round-tripper by Voss was extra painful since she used to be Snyder’s catcher at St. Joseph High.
“We had a lot of errors in the first few innings and it almost felt like we weren’t the same team,” said Snyder. “We finally settled in and, after that, their runs came on big hits. Giving up the homer to Voss was a little salt in the wound. But good for her, she deserved it.”
SBCC cut the deficit to 4-2 in the third when Laura Cannon drove in her twin sister, Joan, with an RBI single and Jasmyne Holmes followed with a run-scoring double to left.
In the seventh, Elicity Fabing and Mariah Coyazo reached on walks. Joan Cannon singled to right but Coyazo overran second base and was tagged out at third.
Adair cut the deficit to 6-4 with a two-run double to right-center. Snyder walked on a 3-2 pitch, setting the stage for Laura Cannon‘s game-winning homer that sailed over the left-field fence and set off a wild celebration at home plate.
“I have 100 percent faith in Laura,” said Snyder. “I knew she was going to do something. I wasn’t quite expecting a home run. That was kind of a fairy tale ending.”
The Vaqueros improved to 15-2 at home.
“I felt really confident with Laura at the plate,” said coach Paula Congleton. “I was telling the kids, let’s go 60 feet at a time, get one run at a time and let‘s get to the meat of the order.
“We were flat and unfocused at the start. Give Hancock credit, they came after us. Finally, we got it together in the seventh and hitting is contagious.”
The Vaqueros will compete in the Southern Cal Regional, a best 2-of-3 series, on May 7-8. The opponent and site will be announced this weekend.
Hancock ….… 103 000 2 — 6 7 1
SBCC …….…. 002 000 5 — 7 8 3
One out when winning run scored.
Matlock and Voss; Snyder and Bolanos. W–Snyder 27-4. L–Matlock 6-19.
2B–SB: Holmes, Adair. HR–H: Matlock (2), 3rd inn., none on; Voss (6), 7th inn., one on. SB: L. Cannon (4), 7th inn., two on.
