By Wes McCurtis
CYPRESS, CA- The No. 2 ranked Cypress College softball team (21-0, 10-0 OEC) extended their win streak to 21 games with an 8-0 (5-innings) victory at home over the Orange Coast College Pirates (5-16, 3-8 OEC) on Wednesday afternoon.
Vanessa Ledesma (8-0) picked up her eighth win of the season after striking out 2 Pirates in 4.0 hitless innings. Freshman shortstop Sydney McCollum (3-for-3, 3RBI) continued her hot streak at the plate, while Kiani Puailoa (2-for-2, RBI) added 2 hits of her own to lead the Cypress offense.
Montana Roelvink (1-10) struggled against a deep Cypress line-up, allowing 5 runs on 6 hits in 1.1 innings to receive the loss for the Pirates.
The Chargers took control early, scoring 2 runs in the first, 3 in the second, and 3 more in the third.
Melanie Okazaki (1-for-2) led off with a walk and would score on a hard hit RBI double to right field from McCollum. With 2 outs Nicole Wise (1-for-3, RBI) drilled an RBI single to right field that scored McCollum to take an early 2-0 lead.
With 2 on and 1 out in the second, McCollum hit a 2 RBI double to score Okazaki and Puailoa. McCollum advanced to third when the Pirates attempted to throw out Puailoa at home plate. Jenny Vasquez (1-for-3, RBI) followed that up with an RBI single to center field, giving Cypress a 5-0 lead.
Cypress was able to add 3 insurance runs in the third inning to take an 8-0 lead. The Pirates had runners in scoring positon in the fifth inning but were unable to capitalize and extend the game.
Cypress softball will return to action on the road against Riverside City College this Friday, March 24 at 2:00 p.m.
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