College of the Canyons Edges Host Riverside, 4-2, in Non-Conference Game Saturday

RIVERSIDE -- With all the scoring occurring in the fourth inning, the visiting College of the Canyons (COC) Cougars edged the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's softball team, 4-2, in a non-conference game Saturday (Apr. 2) at Brown Field (Evans Sports Complex).

Sophomore DP Jennifer Metcalf (Valencia) pushed across the game's first run when she received a walk with the bases loaded. An infield throwing error which was low at the plate made it 2-0 before sophomore RF Alelandra Navarro (Hemet) singled through the right side to make it 3-0. Sophomore CF Ariana Rea (Valencia) singled up the middle for a 4-0 Canyons lead. Three of the runs were unearned.

Riverside City (13-14 overall) answered in the bottom of the frame when sophomore catcher Hunter LaCroix (Norco / Norco HS '14) singled up the middle with one out. With two outs, frosh 3B Jenna Shay (Riverside / M.L. King HS '15) socked a 1-0 pitch over the center-field fence halving the RCC deficit to 4-2. Shay went two for three to pace the Tigers.

Canyons starting sophomore RHP Ashley Russo (Burbank) went the distance (7.0 innings) and allowed the two runs (both earned) on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts to improve her record to 10-5. Russo also induced ten ground ball outs, three of which were 5-3 ground outs to sophomore 3B Cheyenne Steward (Burbank) in the fifth inning.

RCC starting LHP Emily Wilcox went the first 5.0 innings and allowed the four runs (one earned) on seven hits and one walk with two strikeouts as her record leveled at 6-6.

Canyons (16-8 overall) will play a pair of games on Sunday, Apr. 3, at Ventura College. At 1 p.m., the Cougars face the Cypress College Chargers before playing the host Ventura College Pirates at 5 p.m.