Softball Season Closes, But Lancers Push Cypress to Limit in 2 Defeats

The #14-seed Pasadena City College softball team made life difficult for #3 host Cypress in two fiercely played 1-run games, but in the end the 36-6 Chargers were able to pull out wins with seventh-inning heroics in both SoCal Regional Playoff First Round contests. PCC's season came to an end at 24-18.

In the opener on Friday, the Lancers held a 3-1 lead in the seventh and appeared to have Cypress down to their final out, but an error on what started out as a potential liner double play to second base resulted in a runner on first and third and no outs. Cypress completed a 3-run rally on walk-off, 2-RBI double by Jaylene Duarte in a 4-3 PCC loss. 

Kiley Kraft brilliantly pitched a complete game, scattering just seven hits and took the hard-luck loss. Kraft's RBI single in the fourth tied things up at 1-1. 

Shortstop Danielle Ruiz lined a 2-RBI single in the fifth for a 3-1 advantage at that point. Ruiz finished 2-for-3 while leftfielder Olivia Nanez was 1-for-2 with a double and a diving catch on defense. 

As the designated home team per postseason rules but at Cypress, Saturday's game 2, 6-5 win by the Chargers was one of the great playoff contests under PCC head coach Monica Tantlinger. The teams went back and forth as Pasadena rallied for three runs to tie it at 5-5 in the fifth. Third baseman Jaimie Harris belted her 12th home run of the season, a 2-run blast to cut it to 5-4. Danielle Ruiz, Nanez and Arlyne Ruiz (no relation) all followed with hits to load the bases. Second baseman Gigi Leyva dropped a squeeze bunt that scored D-Ruiz for the fifth run.

In the top of the seventh, Cypress pushed across the lead run on catcher Lizbeth Gomez's RBI single.

With PCC down to its final out, Nanez singled and rightfielder Arlyne Ruiz was hit by a pitch. Cypress pitcher Emily Rush then got Levya to pop for the season-ending out for the Lancers.

Danielle Ruiz hit a sizziling 5-for-7 with three RBI in the series while fellow sophomore Nanez batted 4-for-6. In the second game, Ruiz and Nanez each had three hits while South Coast Conference Co-MVP Harris and All-SCC First Team first baseman Marcella Ordonez both hit 2-for-4. Austyn Helmuth went the complete-game distance for PCC in the circle, allowing no walks. 

"This team represented PCC to the highest degree," Tantlinger said of the series. "They fought until the very last out and played a great, competitive two ball games v. a #3 seed. I'm so proud to lead these young women. This series will be one that I will look back on with great pride. Hell of a final game."

Harris finished her fine career as PCC's all-time (17) and single-season home run leader (12). She led the team in batting with a .409 average and her 48 RBI is a new PCC record as well. In two seasons, she collected 102 hits, 24 doubles, five triples, 71 RBI, 27 stolen bases, hit .383 and had a .703 slugging percentage. Harris is the fourth Lancer to ever reach 100-plus hits in her career.

Ordonez (.371) scored 43 runs, sixth highest in a PCC season, and her .500 on-base percentage and 19 stolen bases led the Lancers. Kraft was the team leader in wins (11) and ERA (1.98) for the second consecutive season. 

Fourteen Lancers ended their community college careers as Danielle Ruiz closed her 3-year PCC run (COVID year back for eligibility) with 93 hits, 59 walks, 69 runs, and 45 stolen bases. 

Jaimie Harris with the fielder's choice play during Game 2 on Saturday (photo by Michael Watkins).