Tigers Hang On, Edge Santa Ana, 10-9, in Home Win Thursday

RIVERSIDE -- Emily Wilcox went three for four with three RBI and Laura Mendez went the first 4-1/3 innings to pick up the win as the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers softball team posted a 10-9 Orange Empire Conference (OEC) home win over the visiting Santa Ana College (SAC) Dons Thursday afternoon at Brown Field (Samuel C. Evans Park).

Wilcox, a sophomore 1B from Alta Loma (Alta Loma HS), struck a RBI double in the first inning, a two-run single in the second and singled in the fourth inning as RCC built a 6-0 lead after two innings before the Dons started to come back. 

Mendez, a starting sophomore RHP from Rialto (Carter HS), allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits with one walk and one strikeout to improve to 4-3. Frosh RHP Synphony Hall (Rialto - Carter HS) came into the game with one out in the fifth and finished the game to pick up her first save of the season.

RCC frosh CF Megan Cartwright went two for four with two RBI for Riverside (5-6 overall, 3-2 OEC). Frosh catcher Aeriel Carlson hit a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the sixth which proved to be the difference in the game.

SAC sophomore RF Raven Sapla went two for four with two runs and three RBI for Santa Ana (7-8 overall, 2-3 OEC). Sapla hit a two-run home run to left field in the sixth inning. SAC starting frosh RHP Liana Castro, who allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits to draw the loss (0-2), homered to left field to lead off the fourth frame.

Riverside returns to action over the weekend when it participates in the Fresno City College Tournament (Saturday-Sunday, March 4-5). Santa Ana returns to action on Monday, Mar. 6, when it visits the Rio Hondo College Roadrunners in a non-conference game beginning at 3 p.m.

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