Riverside Splits With Visiting Bakersfield; Wins Opener, 9-1, Loses Nightcap, 10-7

Riverside Splits With Visiting Bakersfield; Wins Opener, 9-1, Loses Nightcap, 10-7

RIVERSIDE -- Gaining a split of its non-conference home double header, the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's softball team posted a 9-1, five-inning (mercy rule) victory over the visiting Bakersfield College (BC) Renegades in the opener before losing, 10-7, to BC in the nightcap Saturday afternoon (Mar. 19) at Brown Field (Evans Sports Complex).
Riverside City (11-11 overall) exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the third inning for a 7-0 lead and then added a pair of runs in the fourth for the 9-1 victory. In the third, sophomore DP Hunter LaCroix (Norco / Norco HS '14) hit a two-run single, sophomore 2B Elise Ramirez (Redlands / Redlands East Valley HS '14) socked a two-run double, RCC frosh starting RHP Laura Mendez (Rialto / Wilmer Amina Carter HS '15) hit a sacrifice fly and sophomore RF Brenna Drake crushed a two-run home run to left field to cap the scoring in the inning.
For Bakersfield (8-12-1 overall), frosh CF Alexis Rodriguez (Stockdale HS) had two hits in the opener for the Renegades.
Mendez went the distance (5.0 IP), scattered four hits and allowed one run (earned) and walked two as she improved to 6-6 on the season.
In the nightcap, BC scored twice in each of the first two innings and then exploded for six runs in the top of the third for a 10-1 lead.
Bakersfield led, 2-0, in the first on a two-run double by Isabelle Martinez (Independence HS). In the second, sophomore 3B Madalyn Arambula (Independence HS) hit a RBI double. In the third, a RBI hit batter, and a pair of RBI walks led to Gonzalez hitting a two-run single.
But the Tigers didn't go down without a fight.
In the third, RCC frosh SS Danielle Lopez (Redlands / Redlands East Valley HS '15) socked a two-run home run to center field for her sixth of the season. On the day (both games), Lopez -- who is pictured -- went three for six with two runs scored and three RBI.
Renegades starting frosh RHP Marina Felipe (McFarland HS) pitched gamely. She lasted 6-1/3 innings and allowed seven runs (two earned) on ten hits and four walks. She struck out five and improved to 4-4. Sophomore RHP Trinidad Lee (Ridgeview HS) closed out the game and earned her second save.
Riverside returns to action tomorrow, Sunday, Mar. 20, when it hosts the Chaffey College Panthers, who currently lead the Foothill Conference (6-0), in a non-conference game at 12 p.m.
Bakersfield will be idle until Tuesday, Mar. 22, when it hosts the College of the Canyons Cougars in a Western State Conference-Blue Division double header beginning at 1 p.m.

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