PCC Softball Bats Awaken In LA Mission Rout

The Pasadena City College softball team felt it reached an early season low when visiting Santa Barbara City College hammered the Lancers, 11-1, in a 5-inning mercy rule contest on Saturday. The Lancers responded Tuesday in exactly the manner PCC head coach Monica Tantlinger had hoped.

PCC’s offense erupted for double digits scoring and snapped a 3-game losing streak in an 11-1 triumph over Los Angeles Mission College at Robinson Park. The game was called after 4-1/2 innings due to the 8-run rule. Pasadena scored more runs in this victory than it had in its first four games combined–nine.

The Lancers (2-3 record) tallied three runs in each of the first three innings while freshman starting pitcher Alyssa Madrid tossed a gem. Madrid had a no hitter broken up in the fourth inning and a shutout ended in the fifth on an unearned run in finishing with a 3-hitter. She struck out four and walked no one. It was her first collegiate victory.

In the bottom of the first inning, sophomore catcher Holly Riker-Sloan ripped a 2-RBI single and transfer first baseman Raeleen Fuentes crushed a double off the left field fence to score Riker-Sloan. In the second, first-year second baseman Karina Moreno hit a RBI single to center, frosh rightfielder Kelly Bernal drew a bases-loaded walk, and Riker-Sloan hit a RBI ground out to make it 6-0.

In the third, PCC continued the onslaught as Moreno doubled in a run, Bernal hit a run-scoring grounder, and letterman designated player Derek Blow drove a RBI single to left.

Overall, Moreno was 2-for-2 with three runs scored at the leadoff spot, freshman leftfielder Brenda Rivas was 1-for-1 with a double, two walks and three runs scored, second-year shortstop Anais Sustayta also scored three runs while Riker-Sloan was 1-for-2 with three RBI. Sophomore pinch hitter Alyssa Barcena added a RBI double in the fourth.

PCC’s victory over LA Mission may foreshadow some success for the Lancers when they enter South Coast Conference play. The Eagles (3-2) have wins over three SCC teams–East Los Angeles, LA Harbor and El Camino-Compton Center.

“We finally played with some confidence, and also with a little sense of urgency,” Tantlinger said. “We hit the ball early and often. I feel like we are getting solid pitching and Alyssa did a great job today. LA Mission was a hot team coming into this one and she shut down its bats.”

PCC next plays two games at a Citrus Round Robin mini tournament on Friday, Feb. 12. The Lancers will play a 2:30 p.m. game v. host Citrus and a 4:45 p.m. contest against Santa Ana.