Tigers Sweep #19 Bobcats to Open OEC

Riverside City College opened Orange Empire Conference action with a doubleheader sweep over No. 19-ranked Saddleback College Tuesday. The Tigers opened with a 5-3 victory in the opener and followed with a 5-1 win in the nightcap.

The Tigers improve to 6-10 with the two wins and open conference 2-0, while the Bobcats drop to 14-5 overall, 0-2 in OEC.

In the first game, RCC wasted little time and jumped out to a 3-0 lead in its first chance at the plate. With bases loaded and one out, Jocelyn Romero (1-for-4) scored as the Bobcats grabbed a second out. Isabella Ramirez (2-for-3) then sent two runners home with a base hit up the middle.

Saddleback took two back in the top of the second and tied the game in the fourth, but RCC took back the lead with an Abigail Baldwin (1-for-3) sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning. The Tigers then added some insurance in the sixth as Jocelyn Uglesich (1-for-3) knocked an RBI single to shallow left field, sealing the 5-3 victory.

Anneliese Burns picked up the win, while Jessica Gaitan grabbed a save.

In the nightcap, once again, the Tigers struck first in their first chance on offense, scoring two runs off an Alysse Flores (1-for-3) double.

Carissa O'Neil upped RCC's lead to 3-0 after coming home on a Romero (1-for-4) double, before Saddleback broke the shutout in the top of the third.

Riverside put the game away with two runs off a Saddleback error in the bottom of the third, securing the 5-1 victory.

The Tigers look to secure the series sweep on Friday at Saddleback, with first pitch set for 2 p.m.