CYPRESS, CA – The Cypress College softball team punched their ticket to a fourth consecutive CCCAA State Championship Tournament, with a victory in Saturday's Super Regional matchup against visiting Bakersfield College. The #3-seeded Chargers completed a two-game sweep of the #6-seeded Renegades with a 6-1 victory in Friday's game one, followed by an 8-0 victory in game two of the best of three CCCAA Super Regional Series. It will be the 27th State Championship Tournament appearance for the Cypress softball program, all coming under Head Coach Brad Pickler.
Two remarkable performances from sophomores Hailey Hoffman and Sydney McCollum got the job done for the defending state champions. Hoffman (W, 12-1) tossed the first perfect game of her two-year career, while notching three strikeouts, in six innings of work for the Chargers. McCollum carried Cypress' offense, going 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBI. The back-to-back OEC Player of the Year notched one single, two doubles, and a solo HR to left field against one of the state's best arms.
"This season our lineup has changed game to game. We've had to go with who's hot, and put them in a position to get the most at bats," said Assistant Coach Kevin Monahan. "Brad has done a great job tweaking the lineup and getting the right girls in the right spot every game."
The Chargers never trailed in either of their two games against the Renegades, finishing them off by run-rule in six innings on Saturday.
"This team is a scrappy bunch. Our pitching has really held strong all season and kept us in a lot of games," said Monahan. "It's truly been a team effort this whole season to get us this far."
The Cypress pitching duo, including OEC Pitcher of the Year Hope Davalos and Hailey Hoffman, combine for the 12th best ERA in the state at 2.39. Having two reliable pitchers is a luxury a lot of teams simply don't have, and could prove to be a deciding factor in the state tournament's new eight-team format.
Coach Pickler and the Chargers will defend their 2017 State Championship crown, looking to win an unprecedented 10th CCCAA State Softball Title for the Cypress College softball program.
The 2018 CCCAA State Championship Tournament will include four teams from the south and four from the north. All qualifying teams will be reseeded before they begin play on Thursday, May 17 at Mt. San Antonio College and Citrus College. It will be an eight-team double-elimination tournament with the Championship game scheduled for Sunday, May 20.
(Release by Wes McCurtis, Cypress College Sports Information)
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