By Wes McCurtis

SUPER REGIONAL BRACKET

CYPRESS, CA -  The top-ranked Cypress College softball team (43-0, 21-0 OEC) opened up the 2017 CCCAA Super Regional with a 5-1 victory over No. 9 College of the Canyons (30-12-1, 21-0) on Friday afternoon. The Chargers will take on the winner of No. 4 Palomar vs. No. 5 Santiago Canyon at Cypress College in Saturday's Super Regional Semi-Final. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00am.

State Pitcher of the Year Destiny Vasquez (W, 25-0) went the distance and received the win for Cypress. Vasquez allowed just 1 run on 7 hits with 5 strikeouts. She also made her presence felt on offense, where she finished 1-for-2 with 2 RBI at the plate.

Alexis Ramirez (L, 13-8) received the loss for the Cougars. Ramirez gave up 2 runs on 5 hits in 4.0 innings. Sarah Wilson allowed 3 runs on 3 hits in 2.0 innings of relief. Azmarheen Anderson (2-for-3, HR) scored the lone run for Canyons on a solo homerun to left field.

The Chargers got off to a slow start as Canyons took an early 1-0 lead in the second after the Anderson home run.

With 2 outs and runners on second and third, Cypress catcher Val Romano (1-for-3, 2 RBI) stepped to the plate and ripped a clutch 2 RBI triple off the center field wall to give Cypress a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. "For me that was a big deal because I've been struggling this season, but to help my team when it really mattered felt great," said Romano.

Cypress added to their lead in the fifth with an RBI triple from Alexis Zavala (1-for-3, RBI) before adding 2 more runs in the sixth with a 2-run bomb from Destiny Vasquez.

Canyons would pop up on their first 3 at-bats of the seventh inning to hand the Chargers a 5-1 victory. 

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