SBCC committed four errors in an 8-4 softball loss to Saddleback on Saturday in the Bash at the Beach, then rallied for a 5-3 win over Golden West at Pershing Park.
Both opponents compete in the Orange Empire League, the toughest conference in Southern California. SBCC (26-5) is ranked No. 8 in Southern Cal and 15th in the state.
Kailey Snyder pitched a five-hitter with eight strikeouts in the second game as the Vaqueros (26-5) tied the school record for wins in a season. The 2006 squad went 26-17.
In other games, Golden West edged L.A. Pierce 2-1, Saddleback routed Rio Hondo 10-1 in six innings and Rio Hondo beat Pierce 7-3.
Laura Cannon and Jasmyne Holmes were both 3-4 in the first game. The Vaqueros jumped ahead 3-1 in the first inning on an RBI double by Laura Cannon and run-scoring singles from Holmes and Carly Smith.
After Saddleback went ahead 4-3 in the fifth, SBCC tied it in the bottom half when Laura Cannon singled, stole second and scored on Holmes’ single up the middle.
The Gauchos scored four unearned runs in the sixth with two outs. With two runners on, Holmes fielded a grounder at third and threw high to first, allowing the go-ahead run to score. Rachel Watson hit a fly to left field but Smith dropped it, bringing in two more runs.
Saddleback posted the highest run total against Snyder (23-4) this year and also had 10 hits. Christina Bolin led the Gauchos (17-11) with a homer, a double and three runs.
“I didn’t have my best stuff,” said Snyder. “Granted, they’re a great hitting team but I’m still bouncing back from my (rib) injury and it’s more of a mental thing. I worry that I’ll re-injure myself but I just have to trust that I’ll be OK and throw as hard as I was in the middle of the season.”
Snyder threw 150 pitches in the opener, including 53 that Saddleback fouled off. The Gauchos collected six doubles and a homer.
Joan Cannon robbed Ashley Welsh of a homer leading off the fourth with a running catch that ended with Cannon on the temporary fence.
The Vaqueros trailed 3-1 after 4½ innings of the second game, then scored two in the fifth and two in the sixth. Mariah Coyazo singled and scored the tying run on an outfield error. In the sixth, Lisa Zeitlin doubled with one out and plated the go-ahead run on a single by Stephanie Bolanos. After Elicity Fabing rapped her second hit, Bolanos scored on an RBI single by Joan Cannon.
“Defensively, we didn’t look that sharp today,” said coach Paula Congleton. “We gave up four runs on two errors in the first game and didn’t respond with our offense. We came back to win the second game but we left 13 runners on base. That’s a lot of potential runs.
“Kailey asked to throw the second game because she wanted to work through some things. It was beneficial because her speed was up and her ball was moving a little more.”
On Sunday, the Vaqueros will take on East L.A. at 10 a.m. and Rio Hondo at noon on the final day of the Bash at the Beach.
Saddleback …… 111 014 0 — 8 10 2
SBCC …………… 300 010 0 — 4 10 4
Bertoglio and Welsh; Snyder and Bolanos. W–Bertoglio. L–Snyder 22-4.
2B–S: Wilkison, Bolin, Herrmann 2, Jacobucci, Gutierrez. SB: L. Cannon. HR–S: Bolin, 3rd inn., none on.
Golden West ….. 003 000 0 — 3 5 2
SBCC ……….….. 100 022 x — 5 8 2
Jacobo and Astengo; Snyder and Bolanos. W–Snyder 23-4. L–Jacobo.
2B–SB: Zeitlin. 3B–SB: Fabing.
