Saddleback Shuts-out Riverside, 8-0, in Softball Action Wednesday

RIVERSIDE --  The Saddleback College Gauchos scored early and often en route to an 8-0 Orange Empire Conference (OEC) win over the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's softball team Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 18) at Brown Field (Evans Sports Complex.

The game was halted after six innings due to the (minimum five-inning) eight-run mercy rule.

Saddleback (7-1 overall, 2-0 OEC) pushed across a pair of unearned runs in the top of the second inning, thanks to a RBI groundout off the bat of sophomore DP Samantha Lima (Brawley) and RBI single by sophomore CF Allie Potts (Orange). Lima added a two-run double in the fifth and a RBI single in the sixth and went two for four with four RBI.

Frosh catcher Madison Newby (Laguna Niguel) singled twice and scored twice to help the Gauchos' cause.

Frosh starting RHP Kaylee Cranmer (Bakersfield) went the distance (6.0 innings) and scattered thrrcia ee hits, walked none and struck out two to improve to 5-1. RCC sophomore starting RHP Alexis Holman (Riverside / John W. North HS) lasted 3-2/3 innings and allowed six hits, three runs (one earned) and walked one (no strikeouts) as her record leveled at 2-2.

For Riverside (4-4 overall, 1-1 OEC), sophomore catcher Kaylee Garcia (Colton) doubled with one out in the fourth and was stranded at third base when a RCC baserunning mistake following a pop out was turned into an inning-ending double play.

Riverside will next play on Friday, Feb. 20, when it visits the Fullerton College Hornets in a 2 p.m. OEC start. Saddleback will be idle until Monday, Feb. 23, when it hosts the Sanat Ana College Dons in an OEC game beginning at 3 p.m.

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