Vaqueros take on No. 2 Santiago Canyon in Super Regional

SBCC will battle No. 2 Santiago Canyon (34-7) on the Hawks' home turf in a first-round game of the Southern Cal Super Regional softball playoffs on Friday in Orange (three miles north of Santa Ana). First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

The Super Regional is a four-team, double-elimination tourney over three days. No. 6 College of the Canyons (31-12) will take on No. 3 Mt. San Antonio (37-5) in Friday's second game at 4 p.m.

The winner of the Super Regional advances to the State Championships in Bakersfield, along with the winner of the Super Regional at No. 1 Cypress.

   Super Regional Bracket

If the Vaqueros win on Friday, they'll take on the winner of the Canyons-Mt. SAC game on Saturday at 11 a.m. If they lose, they'll face the loser of that game at 1 p.m.

Santiago Canyon's softball field is one of the first in Southern California with a field-turf outfield.

The No. 9 Vaqueros (30-12) beat Grossmont 2-1 in the Regional series, taking the first game 5-0, dropping the second 9-8 in eight innings and winning the third, 8-2. The Hawks swept No. 15 Ventura 2-0 with a pair of shutouts (7-0, 15-0).

The Hawks, who finished second in the Orange Empire Conference with a 15-6 record, have one of the most potent offenses in the state, ranking No. 2 in batting average (.410), No. 3 in slugging percentage (.581) and No. 5 in runs with 348 (8.5 average). Santiago Canyon beat SBCC 14-6 on Feb. 27 in a five-inning game at Ventura.

Freshman Emili Olague leads the Hawks' offense with a .504 average, a .992 slugging percentage, 14 homers and 60 RBIs. Manoa Weijgertse, a freshman catcher from the Netherlands, is hitting .441 with five HRs and 45 RBIs.

SCC leads the state in stolen bases with 162 and has only been caught 10 times.

The Vaqueros are eighth in the state with 309 runs (7.4 average). They're led by catcher Monica Salas, who's batting .438 with 35 RBIs and leadoff hitter Sydney Townes (.426, 26 RBIs). Alyssa-Rae Jewell is batting .422 with 15 steals and third baseman Christal Vierra, the only sophomore on the roster, is hitting .336 with two homers and 39 RBIs.

Santiago Canyon's top pitcher is Riley Nahrwold (13-5 record, 1.81 ERA) and the Vaqueros' ace is Madison McNamee (17-7, 2.50 ERA).