On a sometimes-sunny Saturday afternoon, the LBCC Vikings softball team made the day perfect, winning a pair of non-conference wins to improve to 15-7 overall. Hosting a three-way double header with Santa Ana College and Grossmont College, the Vikings picked up wins over both opposing squads, downing Santa Ana 11-2 and then taking Grossmont to extra innings later, winning 3-2.
The Vikings opened up the day with their big win over Santa Ana. Long Beach put the game out of reach early with an eight-run first inning. Leading 2-0 after a two-run homerun by first baseman Monique Ogata, the Vikings took advantage of a crucial two-out error and went on to score six unearned runs off Santa Ana starter Katlyn Harp. Right fielder Dora Hogue added a two-run double and third baseman Valentina Nabayan plated two runs with a single in her second at bat of the first inning.
Nabayan added a RBI single in the bottom of the second and in the third, Ogata smashed a run-scoring double and designated player Vanessa Samudio brought in a run with her grounder to close out the Vikings’ scoring.
Freshman Kaci Keltner earned the win for Long Beach to improve to 3-2. She went the distance and allowed two unearned runs and four hits over five innings. Nabayan (2 for 3, 1 run, 2 RBI), Ogata (2 for 3, 2 run, 3 RBI, HR, 2B), and Hogue (2 for 3, 1 run, 3 RBI, 2B) all had two hits for Long Beach.
The Vikings closed the afternoon with a well-deserved extra-inning win against Grossmont in what could be a possible playoff matchup later in the season. The pitcher’s duel between LBCC’s Christine Garcia and Grossmont’s Charnel Zetsch remained scoreless after seven innings.
Because of the international tie-breaker rule, Grossmont began the top of the eighth with a runner on second base. After a sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Amber Beebe to third, Beebe was able to score on a fielding error by LBCC shortstop Rose Vargas on Heather Brewer’s grounder.
Long Beach came back to even the score with a run in the bottom of the eighth. Freshman Jean Gallegos was placed on second base to start the inning. She was moved to third base on a one-out single by designated player Alyssa Aguirre. Ogata’s groundout to second base brought home Gallegos to send the game to the ninth.
Then Grossmont took the lead once again. Alyc Kalahama started the top of the ninth on second. She moved to third on a groundout and then came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Katie Thomas to give Grossmont the 2-1 advantage.
But the Vikings would finally end the game in the bottom of the ninth. Pinch runner Renae Ramirez began at second and promptly came in to score on a double by Samudio. With one out and the score tied 2-2, catcher Alyssa Belmontes’ bunt single moved Samudio and the go-ahead run to third. Vargas made up for her error by lining a 3-2 pitch down the right-field line to bring in Samudio for the game winner.
Gonzalez picked up the win to improve to 12-5 this season. She allowed two unearned runs and just three hits over nine innings while striking out six. Aguirre led the Vikings at the plate going 2 for 4.
Zetsch earned the loss for Grossmont (18-4 overall). She gave up three runs (one earned) and seven hits over 8 1/3 innings. Long Beach returns to South Coast Conference action on Tuesday (Mar 17) when it hosts Mt. San Antonio College at 3pm.
From report by LBCC’s Chris Ruiz