el Don News
SOFTBALL: Dons VS. Riverside’s Tigers.
GAME DATE: Wednesday, February-20-2013.
Starting pitcher Devon Rodriguez couldn’t muster a post game comment. She was close to shutting down undefeated Riverside City College, pitching five and two-thirds innings of three-hit ball. But Tigers shortstop Natalie Barrios hit a game-tying two-out solo home run, sending Rodriguez to bench.
“They threw me inside all game, so I knew what to look for,” Barrios said. “I thought it was a gapper, but it carried over.”
With the count even at two and two, Rodriguez hurled a bouncer to catcher Mina Pavao. Rodriguez looked as if she wanted that pitch back, putting the count to three balls and two strikes. After fouling the next pitch down the line, Barrios stepped back into the batter’s box, saw a soft-toss, and sent it soaring put past the left-center field fence.
RCC (8-0, 3-0 OEC) third baseman Courtney Brown hit a go-ahead, two-run homerun as the visiting Tigers completed a two-inning, five run comeback to defeat the Dons 5-3 Wednesday.
“I liked the new pitcher. She threw a little harder than the starter,” Brown said. “I went up to the plate and turned on an inside pitch.”
Chantal Oelrich took the loss after allowing the Brown home run.
The Dons (8-3, 0-2 OEC) scored its first runs of the game in the first inning on a two-run home run off the bat of second baseman Alyssa Yglesias. Third baseman Alexandra Perkins started the inning with a single, she stole second base before scoring on Yglesias’ home run.
Yglesias had two RBIs, and scored twice. She started the inning reaching on an error by the Tigers right fielder and scored from third on Katherine Macias’ wild pitch.
The Dons host the Grossmont Griffins today at 3 p.m.
