Seven-run Fourth Gives Riverside a 7-0 Home Win Over Fullerton Wednesday in Season Finale

RIVERSIDE – Exploding for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's fast-pitch softball team went on to a 7-0 Orange Empire Conference (OEC) win over the visiting Fullerton College (FC) Hornets in the regular season finale for both teams Wednesday evening (Apr. 27) at Brown Field (Samuel C. Evans Sports Complex).

It was the last home game for five RCC sophomores: Monique Pineda, Brenna Drake, Elise Ramirez, Hunter LaCroix, and Jordan Emanuele and they received well wishes and flowers for their time spent at RCC.

Riverside City (16-21 overall, 8-13 OEC) parlayed seven hits – all singles – and one walk into the seven-run uprising. Frosh SS Danielle Lopez (Redlands / Redlands East Valley HS '15) opened the frame with a single up the middle and scored on a two-run single by sophomore 2B Elise Ramirez (Redlands / Redlands East Valley HS '14). Lopez capped the scoring with a two-run single for her second hit of the inning and the 7-0 RCC lead.

Fullerton (22-17, overall, 11-10 OEC) had runners reach third base in the first (two outs), second and seventh innings (two outs). In the second, the Hornets loaded the bases with one out, but a line-out unassisted double play turned by RCC sophomore 1B Jordan Emanuele (Norco / Norco HS '11 / UC Riverside '15) ended the threat. A double play in the top of the seventh curtailed a Hornet threat.

For RCC, Emanuele went two for four with a run scored and a RBI single. Lopez went two for three with two RBI and sophomore catcher Hunter LaCroix (Norco / Norco HS '14) went two for three. Former Hornet (2015) and current RCC sophomore CF Monique Pineda (Rancho Cucamonga / Los Osos HS '14 / Fullerton College) went one for three with one run scored and a two-run single.

RCC starting frosh RHP Laura Mendez (Rialto / Wilmer Amina Carter HS '15) went the distance (7.0 innings) for the Tigers. She scattered four hits and walked three with three strikeouts as her record improved to 10-14. It was hers and RCC's first shut-out of the season.

FC starting sophomore RHP Brigid Ruiz (Whittier) lasted only 3-2/3 innings and allowed six runs (all earned) on seven hits and one walk with two strikeouts as her record fell to 21-15.

Riverside City will look forward to preparing for the 2017 season, while Fullerton is expected to receive a berth in next week's California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Southern California Regional Playoffs.

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