Alyse Harris wasn’t bothered by the rain or the Oxnard batters on Thursday as the SBCC sophomore pitched a two-hit shutout to beat the Condors 4-0 in a WSC softball game at Pershing Park.
“I actually feel like I pitch better in the rain,” said Harris, a right-hander from Denver, Colo. “It seems like every time it rains, I’m on.”
Santa Barbara (19-15, 9-5) won for the seventh time in nine games to remain in second place in the WSC Gold Division. The Vaqueros are 9-2 at home. Oxnard fell to 11-18 and 5-8.
It was the 12th complete game and first shutout of the season for Harris (9-10), who retired the first 10 batters in a light rain. She gave up a single and double with one out in the fourth, then got the last two outs on a strikeout and a popup to first.
Harris struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. She retired the last 11 batters in order.
“My curve was working pretty well and my screwball was working,” said Harris. “The other things that were working were my offense and defense. They were both on, which was great.”
The Vaqueros score three runs in the first inning on two hits, two walks and an error. Samantha Cabada had an infield single, Lauren Larabell reached on a fielder’s choice and Bryn Thompson singled to left to load the bases.
Natalie Orosco walked to force in the first run. The other two scored when Tara Crawford grounded to third and the ball was thrown over the first baseman’s head.
SBCC added a run in the third on a single by Larabell, a walk and a throwing error that brought in Larabell.
“Alyse was really in her zone today,” said coach Paula Congleton. “We had a lot of groundouts (13) which means she was doing what she needed to do on the mound.
“Our offensive production wasn’t great but we took advantage of every mishap that Oxnard had.”
Condor pitchers Heather Bacon and Janai Shaw held the Vaqueros to four singles and two of those were infield hits.
SBCC is battling Moorpark, Hancock and Oxnard for second place and a playoff berth. The Vaqueros have two doubleheaders remaining — Tuesday at home vs. Moorpark at 1 p.m. and April 24 at L.A. Pierce.
SBCC 4, OXNARD 0
Oxnard …….. 000 000 0 — 0 2 2
SBCC ..…….. 301 000 x — 4 4 0
Bacon, Shaw (5) and Mochizuki; Harris and Larabell. W–Harris 9-10. L–Bacon 8-11.
2B–O: Mochizuki.
Records–O 11-18, 5-8; SB 19-15, 9-5.
