Pirates stumble in playoff opener, fall to Bakersfield, 2-1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bakersfield | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
|
Orange Coast | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
COSTA MESA -- The bats went quiet and one important bang-bang call at first didn't go the way of the Orange Coast College softball team, who lost to Bakersfield, 2-1, in the opening game of the 2024 Southern California Regional Playoffs on Friday at the Pirate Softball Stadium.
Reyna Hernandez was the lone highlight for the 7th seeded Pirates (25-13) at the plate, slugging a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning that put Coast up, 1-0.
But the 10th-seeded Renegades (26-14) picked up an unearned run in the third and scored in the top of the sixth to take the lead for good. A leadoff double to left-center off the bat of Serenity Angulo got the sixth started for the Renegades. Two batters and two outs later, with Angulo at third, a grounder up the middle by Ryleigh Harrison was snagged by Lexia Martinez and a strong throw to first made the play close. On a call that ended up deciding the winning run, the umpire called Harrison safe, allowing the Renegades to grab a 2-1 advantage.
That lead held up the rest of the way as BC starter Savannah Figueroa overcame some early wildness and held the Pirates to just one run on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts, picking up her 12th win of the season.
OCC starter Ruby Fidge pitched one of her best games of the year and her Pirate defense played solid behind her. Bakersfield made the most of what little they got as Fidge went all seven innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Game 2 of this best-of-three series will take place on Saturday at OCC, beginning at 12 p.m. with a third game (if necessary) immediately afterward.
