Softball streak snapped by OCC

Santa Ana College women’s softball team suffered a devastating loss against Orange Coast College on Tuesday, with a final score of 10-2. 

With this loss, OCC snapped SAC’s four-game winning streak. 

“It was a bad day for us,” said Coach Marissa Ross. “There is not that much to say.”

SAC was off to a terrible start after the second inning as they were already down 6-0. 

On SAC pitcher Julia Ariston’s first pitch, at the top of the second inning, OCC’s left fielder Katie Belmontes hit a home run over the left field wall. 

“I feel I could have done better,” said Ariston. “I have to step up.”

SAC decided to switch pitchers and brought in Ale Guzman to pitch for the rest of the game. 

The Dons couldn’t create many scoring opportunities due to OCC’s pitcher Ruby Fidge bringing the heat, pitch after pitch. 

SAC couldn’t handle Fidge throughout most of the game. OCC was dominating them offensively and defensively. 

SAC got on the board with a single to left field by Sarah Casey, which allowed Sonya Carnal and Mia Luna to score. 

“It felt pretty good,” said Casey. “It felt good to know that my team was behind me with their energy.”

This made Fidge start to feel a bit visually frustrated as she allowed SAC’s Alyssa Armijo and Julia Ariston to advance bases. 

With runners on third and second base, SAC’s outfielder Haley Martinez was next to bat. Martinez hit a fly ball to left infield and Armijo took off right away to score.

But she couldn’t as OCC’s first basemen blocked her path to home plate and Armijo had no choice but to try to run through the first basemen. It didn’t work at all and she was out. 

This frustrated Coach Ross as she argued with the umpire about the call. Ross stated that the first baseman was already blocking the plate before she had the ball.

“I’ll argue a call and I’m either wrong or right,” said Coach Ross. “Sometimes coaches and umpires go toe-to-toe in some calls.”

The umpire stuck to his call despite Ross pleading her case.  This was a scoring opportunity for SAC that they couldn’t take advantage of. 

The score of 6-2 remained the same until the top of the sixth inning. OCC scored another run after a wild pitch from Guzman that allowed their runner on third base to score. 

OCC was capitalizing on SAC’s errors. After another wild pitch by Guzman, OCC’s shortstop McKenzie Koshi scored another run when SAC’s catcher Amaya Armenta overthrew the ball to third base. 

 To put the last nail in the coffin, OCC’s pinch hitter Erica Rodriguez tripled to right field allowing them to score the three final runs of the game.

Despite the loss, SAC remains hopeful in their remaining games.

“We are still in it,” said Coach Ross. “If we clean up our game, we will be fine.”

SAC is looking to end the season with a couple of wins in a three-game series against Fullerton College on April 22-25.