Samantha Cabada homered in each game and Bryn Thompson went 5-for-7 to guide SBCC to a doubleheader softball sweep over L.A. Pierce on Tuesday in Woodland Hills. The scores of the final regular-season games were 9-6 and 13-2 in six innings.
Cabada belted her first homer of the year in the fifth inning of the opener as the Vaqueros (23-15, 13-5) opened up a 7-4 lead. Cabada went 2-4 in the first game and drilled a three-run shot in the nightcap to highlight a nine-run sixth inning.
Santa Barbara finished second in the WSC Gold Division behind Ventura (16-2). This is the first time the Vaqueros have made the playoffs in back-to-back years in Paula Congleton’s 14-year coaching tenure.
“It feels great to be in the playoffs again,” said Congleton. “Mariah Coyazo (SBCC’s shortstop) is going to be the first player to ever go to two straight Southern California Regionals for us.”
The Vaqueros won their last five games and 11 of their last 13. Pierce finishes at 5-30 and 1-17.
Coyazo went 2-3 with an RBI in the first game while Thompson and Cabada were 2-4. Lauren Larabell hit her first home run, a two-run shot in the seventh that pushed the lead to 9-5.
Celeste Acosta came on in relief in the fourth inning and allowed just two runs on two hits while striking out seven. Alyse Harris got both wins to improve to 12-10.
Harris tossed a four-hitter in the nightcap with seven strikeouts and one walk.
In the second game, Thompson was 3-3 with four runs, two stolen bases and an RBI. Coyazo was 2-5 with two RBIs and two runs.
SBCC will probably be on the road for the Southern Cal Regional, a best 2-of-3 series on May 5-6. The pairings will be announced on Saturday.
RESULTS:
First Game
SBCC …………. 140 020 2 — 9 10 1
L.A. Pierce .….. 013 010 1 — 6 6 2
Harris, Acosta (4) and Larabell; Abrenica and Becerra. W–Harris 11-10. L–Abrenica.
HR–SB: Cabada (1), 5th inn., none on; Larabell (1), 7th inn., one on.
Second Game
(6 inns, run rule)
SBCC ………….. 003 109 — 13 14 1
L.A. Pierce ..…… 000 020 — 2 4 1
Acosta, Harris (1) and Larabell; Abrenica and Becerra. W–Harris 12-10. L–Abrenica.
2B–SB: Harris. HR–SB: Cabada (2), 6th inn., two on.
Records–SBCC 23-15, 13-5 WSC Gold; LAP 5-30, 1-17.
