Softball Splits in Non-Conference Doubleheader

The Riverside City College softball team was riding a two-game winning streak after dropping three of their first four games to start the season. The continued their long home stand by hosting the Allan Hancock College Bulldogs and the Los Angeles Mission College Eagles. The Tigers pushed their winning streak to third games with a 6-2 win over Allan Hancock, but fell to La Mission, 7-2.

Freshman starting pitcher Jazmine Lara toed the slab for the first game and had her best outing so far. She allowed one run in the first inning, but shut down the Bulldogs in the following three frames. She retired the side in the second inning and relied on the defense awareness of freshman right fielder Janelle Malone in the top of the third inning.

The Bulldogs placed runners on second and third with one out and Lara forced a fly out to right. Malone camped under the ball and hosed the tagging runner at home to end the inning.

Lara found herself in a jam in the fourth inning, but was able to wiggle out of a Bulldog RBI opportunity with three-consecutive fly outs.

Offensively, Riverside scored all of their runs in the third inning.

Sophomore catcher Alicia Rivera got the RBI train chugging with an RBI double down the left field line, scoring freshman left fielder Alexa View. Two batters later, freshman third baseman Cheyanne Becerra and Rivera touched home on an error by the shortstop. Freshman duo Lea Aldana and Sarah Franco-Colis recorded consecutive RBI knocks, capped by an RBI single up the middle from Tessah Black leading to a 6-1 lead.

Lara allowed one more run, but it was insignificant leading to the win.

Rivera finished 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and run scored, while Sa. Franco-Colis barreled two hits and a RBI as well.

Riverside (4-5) will begin Orange Empire Conference (OEC) action at home on Wednesday, February 16 to host the defending champion Fullerton College Hornets at 3 p.m.