21 runs and 18 hits aren’t enough for Vaqueros in wild DH loss

SBCC scored plenty of runs in Saturday's non-conference softball doubleheader at Pershing Park. The problem was L.A. Valley scored more as the Monarchs swept the twinbill, 9-8 and 19-13.

The teams combined for 49 runs and 49 hits in 14 innings.

"It was definitely a big hitting day," said SBCC coach Justine Bosio. "That's what I told our team: 'When you get into these doubleheaders, it's all about who's going to hit the ball the hardest.'

"L.A. Valley is coached very well in the box and their fundamentals were strong."

First baseman Lesley Arreola had a big day for the Monarchs (20-10), going 3-4 with an RBI in Game 1 and 4-6 with two doubles and six RBIs in the night cap. Elizabeth Flores was 3-5 with five RBIs. Valley out-hit the Vaqueros 21-12 in Game 2 but also committed five errors that led to seven unearned runs.

Pitcher Paige Powell was the Vaqueros' top hitter with a 2-4, 3-RBI performance in the opener and a 4-5 effort in Game 2. Emily LoneTree unloaded a solo homer in the first inning of Game 2 and Shelby Featherston had a two-run blast in the fifth that gave the Vaqueros a 13-12 lead.

Featherston and Mia Carranza were both 2-4 with two RBIs in the second game and LoneTree and Carson Dunckley knocked in two runs apiece.

Powell, a left-hander from San Marcos High, pitched 12.1 of the 14 innings. The Vaqueros committed six errors in the first game and eight of Valley's nine runs were unearned.

The Vaqueros (8-21) led 4-1 and 6-3 in the first game before Valley scored four in the sixth to take a 7-6 lead. The Vaqueros tied it 7-7 in the bottom of the sixth when Powell reached on an error, went to second on a bunt, to third when LoneTree was hit by a pitch and scored when Hannah Weaver made the second out on the infield fly rule.

The Monarchs regained the lead in the seventh when Belinda Rivera scored on a fielder's choice and Julie Cendejas came around to score from first base after third baseman Samantha Yanes threw wildly to first to make it 9-7 in favor of the visitors.

Janet Salas opened the bottom of the seventh by reaching on an infield error and Featherston singled up the middle. Dunckley bunted them to second and third and Salas scored on Powell's groundout to short. Hanna Moulton, who re-entered the game at pitcher in the sixth, got the last two outs on groundouts to short and third.

Game 2 was a back-and-forth affair as the Vaqueros led 6-2 after one inning, fell behind 7-6 in the top of the second and regained an 8-7 advantage on a two-run single by Kayana Diaz in the bottom of the second.

The Vaqueros trailed 12-11, then Salas walked to open the fifth and Featherston ripped her second homer to left field for a one-run lead. It was short-lived, however, as the visitors scored two in the sixth and five in the seventh to solidify their advantage.

"When you look at the scores, it might be frustrating but we did really well today," said Bosio. "We've been trying to instill that fight in them all year and to see them do it today was really awesome."

The Vaqueros have five games remaining in the WSC North. They'll travel to Oxnard on Tuesday, then host Moorpark on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.