Late heroics fuel another impressive win for Pirates
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mt. San Antonio | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
|
Orange Coast | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | X | 3 | 3 | 0 |
COSTA MESA -- Less than 24 hours after knocking off the No. 1 team in the state, the Orange Coast College softball team added another impressive win to their resume, rallying late to defeat Mt. San Antonio, 3-2, on Wednesday at the OCC Softball Stadium.
Trailing 2-1 after four innings, the Pirates (8-1) came up with the big hit when it was needed most. Pinch hitter Frida Esters led off the frame with a leadoff walk and after a pair of fly outs, Kayla Vargas stepped up and lined a shot to right-center that cleared the wall for a 2-run home run, putting the state's 13th-ranked Pirates ahead of the 11th-ranked Mounties, 3-2.
Starting pitcher Ruby Fidge went six strong innings for OCC, holding one of the top offenses in the state to just two runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout.
The Mounties had baserunners on throughout the game, but Fidge did a great job of not allowing that "big hit" and kept the game close for Vargas' fifth-inning heroics.
In the top of the seventh, the game was turnover over to closer Kelsey McNair, who allowed a one-out walk and nothing more, earning her fifth save of the season.
Mt. SAC starter Kayden Connaty (3-3) pitched well and went the distance, allowing just three runs and only three hits with six strikeouts, but, six walks provided the Pirates with the baserunners they would need to make those three hits count.
After the Mounties led 1-0 in the second, Coast tied things up in the third. Mackenzie Koshi led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI-single to left-center by Isabel Lopez.
The Pirates will return to action on Friday at home against another ranked team -- No. 5 Palomar -- beginning at 1 p.m.
