Valenzuela's Game-winning Two-run Double Lifts Riverside to 4-3 Home Win Over Mt. San Antonio

RIVERSIDE -- Jessica Valenzuela socked a two-out, bases-loaded double to drive in the game-tying and winning runs and lift the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's fastpitch softball team to an exciting 4-3 non-conference home win over the visiting Mt. San Antonio College (MSAC) Mounties Monday afternoon (Apr. 14) at Brown Field (Evans Sports Complex).

Riverside City (25-9 overall) overcame a 3-0 deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to inch within 3-2 after five innings.

Mt. San Antonio (29-7 overall) posted a pair of runs in the top of the first inning on a solo home run by frosh 2B Celina Felix (Montclair) and a RBI single by sophomore DP Niaraye Ceasar (Fairfield). In the top of the fifth, frosh CF Ayrika Simmons (Chino) stroked a solo home run to left field to lead off the frame.

The Tigers were hitless until the bottom of the fifth when RCC starting frosh RHP Bailey Powell (Riverside / Notre Dame HS) clubbed a double off the top of the right-field fence, sending frosh pinch runner Victoria Givens (Riverside / Pomona Catholic HS) to third base. After a strikeout for the first out, frosh LF Michelle Paul (Norco / Norco HS) drilled a 1-0 pitch to the left-center field gap to chase both runners home and get the Tigers on the board at 3-2.

In the seventh, sophomore pinch hitter Austin Schmidt (Riverside / Notre Dame HS) stroked a ground-ball single down the left-field line, Powell the followed with a parachute pop-fly single into short right field. A pair of outs sandwiched around a walk to Paul which loaded the bases for Valenzuela who hammered a 1-1 pitch off the base of the center-field fence to win the game for RCC.

Both teams continue action on Tuesday, Apr. 15. MSAC will visit the Pasadena City College Lancers in a South Coast Conference game at 2 p.m. before RCC visits the Palomar College Comets in a non-conference game at 3 p.m.

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