Lancers Bats Surprise Host Long Beach, 11-1

The Pasadena City College softball team's bats came out blazing on Tuesday and by game's end, the Lancers had posted an 11-1, 5-inning mercy victory over host Long Beach City College. It was Pasadena's second straight South Coast Conference mercy win to improve to 2-0 in league and 2-3 overall.

Last year, PCC won a 10-0, 5-inning game at home v. the Vikings in the teams' last meeting. Last week, LBCC had a promising 2020 start with an 8-1 win over last year's SCC South Division champion El Camino. But in the team's home opener, it was PCC pounding the ball early and often with five runs in the first inning, three in the second, and three more in the third.

Second baseman Ahylie Rosales roped a 2-RBI double and winning pitcher Austyn Helmuth (tossed a 3-hitter) helped her own cause with another 2-run double as PCC jumped ahead, 5-0. In the second, Miranda Padilla singled in a run (as she did also in the first inning) and Rosales also copied form by slugging another 2-run double. In the third, shortstop Daniell Ruiz plated two runs on a single and Padilla continued to shine with her third RBI hit in as many innings. 

In the team's overall 11-hit attack, Padilla was 3-for-4 with three RBI, Rosales 2-4, four RBI, Ruiz 2-3, two RBI and Helmuth also 2-3 with two runs driven in. After five games, the freshman Rosales leads the team with a .500 average (7-for-14). Both Rosales and frosh first baseman Katelyn Wooton (.286) are averaging better than a RBI per game with six each. 

Third baseman Valley Febles added two stolen bases as the team has collected 12 steals already in the young season.

"Our team has been playing good softball but without the desired win results," said PCC head coach Monica Tantlinger, who has directed her teams to three straight SoCal Playoff appearances and three 25-or-more victory seasons in a row. "We faced some really good pitching our first few games and our offense has shown they can hang. We've been focusing on cleaning up the defense and making those routine plays. Against Long Beach, we were firing on all cylinders."

PCC next hosts Cerritos College on Thursday, Feb. 6 in a 2:30 p.m. conference game at Robinson Park. The Falcons (3-1) lost their SCC opener v. Rio Hondo but have always proven to be a difficult opponent for the Lancers. This season, the SCC is back to a one, 9-team conference after playing as divisions the past three years.