Riley Peckels tossed a no-no against Golden West on Friday evening in conference play. It is the 16th no hitter in Riverside softball history and the first since 2013. (Photo by Bobby R. Hester)
Riley Peckels tossed a no-no against Golden West on Friday evening in conference play. It is the 16th no hitter in Riverside softball history and the first since 2013. (Photo by Bobby R. Hester)

Riley Peckels Tosses 16th No Hitter in Riverside History

Freshman starter Riley Peckels (Moreno Valley, CA) entered into the circle for her eighth start of the season with one thought on her mind – to give her team the best chance to win on Friday afternoon in an Orange Empire Conference (OEC) contest against the Golden West College Rustlers. Little did she know that her efforts would lead to more than just a 16-0 victory, but her dominance in the contest led to her tossing a no hitter.

Peckels tossed the programs 16th no hitter in Riverside history and the first since 2013. She faced just 15 batters and utilized a flawless defense. She nearly tossed a perfect game despite allowing one walk and hitting one batter. Aside from that, she was truly untouchable.

The Riverside offense gave Peckels plenty of comfort on the rubber as they barreled 11 hits leading to 16 runs. The Tigers scored at least three runs in all but one frame highlighted by a nine-run top of the fourth inning.

Sophomore center fielder Megan Cartwright (Corona, CA) led off the top of the fourth with a single and promptly found herself on third base after swiping second and advancing to third on a passed ball. She later came around to score on an error by the left fielder. Sophomore third baseman Terri Nava (Yucca Valley, CA) followed with an RBI single, scoring sophomore shortstop Kailee Gilbert (Moreno Valley, CA), who reached base on the error.

The Tigers continued to waltz across the plate after three-straight wild pitches, scoring freshman second baseman Breanna Ceballos (Ontario, CA), sophomore left fielder Dayna Gutierrez (Hemet, CA), and freshman right fielder Kayla Giannatasio (Corona, CA), respectfully.

Cartwright worked her way back to the plate to barrel a two-RBI single, while Nava backed her with a two RBI double. The Tigers added three more runs in the top of the fifth inning leading to a 16-0 victory.

Sophomore catcher Aeriel Carlson (Highland, CA) continued to cart a hot bat by going 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Cartwright went 3-for-3 with a triple, three runs scored, and a pair of RBI.

The Tigers (14-6, 5-2 OEC) has cancelled their contest against Santa Barbara tomorrow due to rain in the forecast. They will look to reschedule. Their next guaranteed game will be against the Fullerton College Hornets in OEC action on Wednesday, March 14th at 3 p.m.