By Robert Nilsen
CYPRESS, CA – Cypress softball (42-0, 21-0 OEC) will advance to the Super Regionals after defeating Allan Hancock College (28-15, 19-5 WSN) 9-8 in the second game of their Southern California regional series on Saturday afternoon.
Vanessa Ledesma (16-0) got the start and picked up the victory for the Chargers as she pitched 4.2 innings while allowing 4 runs on 8 hits. Melanie Okazaki (4-for-4, 3 RBI) and Sydney McCollum (2-for-4, 2 RBI) led the Chargers offense.
Bailey Killough (17-8) received the loss for the Bulldogs after allowing 7 runs on 9 hits over 3.1 innings pitched.
The Chargers got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Okazaki led off the inning with a double and Jenny Vazquez (1-for-4, RBI) brought her home on a base hit down the right field line to give the Chargers a 1-0 advantage. The Bulldogs would even the game at 1 run apiece in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Bailey Killough. The Chargers responded with a run of their own on an RBI single by McCollum in the bottom half of the inning to make it 2-1. The Bulldogs fought back as they evened the score at 2-2 in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Larissa Ostrander.
The Chargers offense continued to pound out hits as they struck for 5 runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Nicole Wise (1-for-3) tripled to lead off the inning. Emma Walker (2-for-3, 2 RBI) then ripped a double into center field to make it 3-2. After a single, a walk and a sacrifice fly Okazaki crushed a triple to center field to give the Chargers a 6-2 lead. McCollum then delivered an RBI single to push the Chargers lead to 7-2. Cypress would add on to their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning on a base hit by Walker to make it 8-2.
The Bulldogs never gave up though and would strike for 5 runs in the top of the sixth inning to narrow the Chargers advantage to 1 run. With the bases loaded and 1 out Ostrander grounded out to second, but a run would score to make it 8-3. Isabella Partida then followed with an RBI single to cut the Chargers lead to 8-4. After a bases load walk made it 8-5, Killough drove in 2 more runs on a base hit to make it 8-7.
Cypress responded by scoring a run in the bottom of the sixth inning on the back of Okazaki's fourth hit of the game, an RBI double to increase their lead to 9-7. Again the Bulldogs responded with a run in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Ostrander, but Destiny Vazquez got Partida to fly out to right field to end the game as the Chargers won 9-8.
Be sure to check back with sports.cypresscollege.edu for more information regarding the Super Regional Round that will be held at Cypress College Friday, May 12-Sunday, May 14.
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