After posting one of the biggest wins in program history, SBCC got knocked around in the third and deciding game of its Southern Cal Regional softball series on Sunday at College of the Canyons.
Third baseman Bryn Thompson went 2-3 and drove in two runs in a 3-2 victory over the top-seeded Cougars in Santa Clarita. Canyons had its 15-game win streak snapped and suffered its first home loss in 18 games this year.
The Cougars roared back in Game 3 with a 13-1 win in five innings. Canyons, the No. 1 seed in the 16-team Regional, took the best-of-3 series 2-1 and improved to 39-3-1 on the season.
Canyons scored five in the second inning and piled on eight more in the fourth thanks to nine hits and a walk. Pitcher Kimmie Lockhart (24-1) went 3-3 with a two-run single and tossed a four-hitter in Game 3.
The 16th-seeded Vaqueros finished the year with a 24-17 record.
“That was a great win in the first game and our kids really believed they could win two today,” said coach Paula Congleton. “We were never intimidated.”
The Vaqueros were designated as the home team in Sunday’s first game. They took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a two-run single by Thompson. After Canyons cut the margin to 2-1, the Vaqueros added a run in the fifth on a single by Tara Crawford, a sacrifice bunt, a passed ball and an RBI single to center by catcher Lauren Larabell.
“Mariah Coyazo had a wonderful weekend in her final games at shortstop for us,” said Congleton. “We peaked at the right time (winning 11 of their last 13 in the regular season).
“We have 13 freshmen coming back and we told them to remember what happened today, so we can improve when we get to the playoffs next year.”
Game 2
Canyons ……. 000 010 1 — 2 5 0
SBCC ……..… 002 010 x — 3 5 0
Paiz and Correa; Acosta, Harris (6) and Larabell. W–Acosta 12-6. L–Paiz 16-3.
Game 3
(5 inn., run rule)
SBCC ………. 010 00 — 1 4 1
Canyons …… 050 8x — 13 17 0
Harris, Acosta (2), Harris (4) and Larabell; Lockhart and Droege. W–Lockhart 24-1. L–Harris 12-11.
2B–C: Droege. 3B–C: Zimmerman. HR–C: Correa (19), 4th inn., two on.
Records–SB 24-17; COC 39-3-1.
