Softball Reaches 20 Wins, Offense In Full Swing

The Pasadena City College softball team has found its groove on offense lately and it's carried the Lancers in a current 3-game winning streak. PCC hit the 20-victory mark for the second straight season Wednesday as the Lancers rallied from down 4-2 to mercy visiting Glendale, 13-5, in six innings in an non-conference game at Robinson Park. 

Under the direction of head coach Monica Tantlinger, PCC (20-15 overall) pounded Glendale pitching for 15 hits. Shortstop Karina Moreno went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and three runs scored while rightfielder Derek Blow gave the Lancers a 6-4 lead with a booming 3-RBI double to left center in the fourth inning. Second baseman Anais Sustayta batted 3-for-5 with two RBI and first baseman Karen Najera was 2-for-4.

The highlight of the game though belonged to backup catcher Guadalupe Perez, who in just her fourth collegiate at bat launched a home run over the left center-field fence in the fifth. In the sixth, she drew a bases-loaded walk that ended the game by the 8-run mercy rule.

PCC's week started with the team's stirring rally to beat host Los Angeles Harbor, 9-7, in eight innings on Tuesday in a South Coast Conference game. Trailing 6-3 and down to the team's final out in the seventh, Raeleen Fuentes belted a game-tying 3-run homer that sent it into extra innings. The Lancers scored three runs in the top of the eighth and Fuentes went 7-2/3 innings for the circle win with Alyssa Madrid recording the final out for her fourth save.

Blow batted 3-for-5 with two RBI and Sustayta was 2-for-3. 

On April 7, PCC routed host El Camino College-Compton Center, 15-0, in five innings. Najera hit 2-for-4 with two triples, three runs scored and two RBI. Moreno and third baseman Brittany Ching each added three hits while Sustayta and rightfielder Niaya Jones had two hits each. Fuentes, Madrid (the win), and Alyssa Barcena combined for a 4-hit shutout.

"Players are picking each other up," Tantlinger said. "I think we've buckled down on defense and our hitters are finding ways to come up with big at bats throughout the order. All we can do right now is take it a game at a time. We can't even think about what may happen beyond our final few regular season games. If we get into the playoffs, it will be a big achievement."

The Lancers face conference leader Mt. San Antonio on Thursday, April 14 in a 2 p.m. first pitch at Robinson Park.

[Photo--Lancer Guadalupe Perez drives this pitch for a home run in PCC's win on Wednesday, image by Richard Quinton.]