Lancers Softball Gives State #11 El Camino Battle In SCC-Opening Defeat

With the shocking news that Compton College upset state #6 Mt. San Antonio in their South Coast Conference opener, the Pasadena City College softball team had similar thoughts in taking a few leads v. #11-rated El Camino. The Warriors though rallied twice to beat the Lancers, 10-9, on Thursday in the their SCC opener at Robinson Park.

The Lancers (3-4 overall) received RBI basehits by Adriana Valdez, Alyssa Hernandez, and starting pitcher Leiana Rodriguez to take a 3-0 lead. ECC responded with four runs in the third and three more in the of the fifth for a 7-3 lead.

PCC bounced back with five runs in the fifth for an 8-7 lead. Monica Gutierrez hit a towering ground-rule double to deep left on a ball that ruled had bounced over the short auxillary fence and Elizabeth Avalos (2-for-3, double) lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Gutierrez to regain the Lancers lead.

In the sixth, ECC's Anahi Pintado lined a bases-clearing, 3-RBI double to left center to give the Warriors (7-3 record) a 10-8 advantage. Still, PCC fought back as Rodriguez (3-for-3) drove a RBI double toward the right field line, scoring Hernandez who tripled to right to open the frame.

El Camino reliever Madilyn Radeke stranded Rodriguez and shut the PCC bats down by retiring the final six batters in order for the save. 

All nine Pasadena starters collected at least one hit in a 15-hit attack (five extra-base knocks). 

"I'm proud of the overall progress our team is making," said PCC head coach Audriana Gutierrez. "We're competing at the plate, but just need to tighten up our defense. I know the team is up for the challenge. We will continue to celebrate the little victories and strive to be better than the day before. I'm excited to see what team 47 (number of years of PCC softball) does this season as it is a passionate group that really loves the game."

Hernandez is third in the conference in hitting with a .524 average and Monica Gutierrez has 14 RBI to lead the SCC in that category.

PCC next plays at Compton on Friday, Feb. 23 in a 1 p.m. SCC contest.