After trailing for most of the game on Tuesday, SBCC roared back to beat Cuesta 11-8 in a WSC Gold softball contest at Pershing Park.
Shortstop Alice Cen went 3-4 with three runs and pitcher Alex Abbott was 1-2 with two RBIs and two walks for the Vaqueros (12-22, 7-6), who overcame an 8-5 deficit with six runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Amanda Caras also had two hits for Santa Barbara, which took advantage of three Cuesta errors to score five unearned runs.
Jasmine Singh paced the Cougars (16-19, 8-6) by going 3-4 with five RBIs. Kaitlyn Rinder hit a two-run homer to cap a four-run first inning by the visitors. Singh belted a two-run home run to center in the fifth, stretching the lead to 7-5. Summer Best singled and Rinder followed with an RBI double to make it 8-5.
“This game reflects the inconsistency we’ve had the entire season,” said coach Paula Congleton. “In the early part of the season, if we had fallen behind 4-0, we probably would have lost 4-0. Our freshmen are finally realizing they have the ability to play through a seven-inning game and come back, even if we have a bad inning.”
Abbott (5-11) picked up the win for the Vaqueros, giving up eight runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts. A trio of Cuesta pitchers allowed 10 hits with seven walks and a hit batter. SBCC scored three times to tie it 5-5 in the fifth on two hits and four walks.
Trailing 8-5 in the sixth, Cen opened with a single, Dakotah Wilcox doubled and Abbott produced an RBI single. After a walk to Natalie Orosco, Caras drove in Wilcox with a single to left and Shannon Kelly tied it at 8-8 with an RBI single to center. Danielle deCastro put the Vaqueros ahead by drawing a bases-loaded walk. The last two runs were unearned with Caras and Kelly coming home on an outfield throwing error.
“Our kids were pretty patient at the plate and we had some solid hits,” added Congleton. “Now we’ll bear down and see if we can spoil things for Ventura.”
SBCC plays its final two home games on Thursday when first-place Ventura (10-2) comes to Pershing for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
BOX SCORE
Cuesta ……….. 401 030 0 — 8 11 3
SBCC ………… 002 306 x — 11 10 0
Blanco, Corsaletti (4), Blanco (4), Roberts (6) and Brewster; Abbott and Lujano. W–Abbott 5-11. L–Blanco 6-10.
2B–C: Masutani, Rinder. SB: Wilcox. HR–C: Rinder (2), 1st inn., one on; Singh (4), 5th inn., one on.
