Mt. San Antonio Comes From Behind in 10-7 Win at Riverside Saturday

RIVERSIDE -- Scoring eight unanswered runs, the visiting Mt. San Antonio College (MSAC) Mounties came from behind in a big way to post a 10-7 non-conference win over the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's softball team Saturday afternoon (Apr. 9) at Brown Field (Evans Sports Complex).

The game was originally scheduled for 4 p.m., but was moved up to avoid a potential rain-out.

Mt. San Antonio (26-4 overall) plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning for a 2-0 lead.

Riverside City (13-17 overall) bounced back with back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game at 2-2. Sophomore catcher Hunter LaCroix (Norco / Norco HS '14) socked a 1-2 pitch over the right-center field fence for her third home run of the season. Frosh 3B Jenna Shay (Riverside / M.L. King HS '15) followed suit when she deposited a 1-0 pitch over the center-field fence to tie the game at 2-2.

RCC added an unearned run in the third and then exploded for four runs in the fourth inning for a 7-2 lead. Sophomore 1B Jordan Emanuele (Norco / Norco HS '11 / UC Riverside '15) smacked a RBI single, as did frosh LF Dani Melendez (Moreno Valley / Valley View HS '15) before frosh SS Danielle Lopez (Redlands / Redlands East Valley HS '15) socked a two-run single. Emanuele -- who is pictured -- went two for four with one run scored and one RBI to pace the Tigers.

But in the fifth, MSAC crept closer with two runs to trail, 7-4. In the sixth, the Mounties exploded for five runs to take a 9-7 lead. In the seventh, pinch hitter Allegra Cisneros crushed the first pitch she saw deep over the left-field fence to cap the scoring at 10-7.

Alyssa Rasso went three for four with three runs scored and two RBI to lead the Mounties.

MSAC reliever Racqual Espinoza pitched the final 3-2/3 innings and one run (earned) on three hits and zero walks. She struck out two and improved her record to 7-1.

RCC frosh RHP Laura Mendez (Rialto / Wilmer Amina Carter HS '15) went the distance (7.0 innings) and allowed all ten runs (eight earned) on 14 hits and two walks with one strike out. The loss dropped her record to 7-10 overall.