Pirates rally for 8-5 win over Rustlers

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Perhaps the Orange Coast College softball team has found the cure for its struggles in 2013 ... play more night games.

Under the lights of Golden West College's softball field, the Pirates came alive late, overcoming a 3-0 deficit to win 8-5 on Wednesday night.

The win -- the Pirates' first in Orange Empire Conference play -- snaps a nine-game losing streak and put smiles on the faces of the players and coaches afterward.

"It was a fun atmosphere ... there was a good crowd out there and playing under the lights is always a good time," OCC head coach Kevin Smith. "It was great to see us play well and compete for a full seven innings. We made things interesting down the stretch, but we managed to pull things out."

OCC's bats came alive in the top of the fifth. Trailing 3-0, Nancy Stewart got things started when she singled, advanced to second on a ground out by Caitlin Kelley and scored on an RBI-double by Jessica Morrow, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

After a scoreless Rustler fifth, the Pirates grabbed control of the game with a six-run sixth inning. With one out, Kristin Nance walked, advanced to second on a single by Jessica Amaral, went to third on a single by Ashley Arrington and scored on a bases-loaded walk by Michaela Rand to make it 3-2.

A passed ball moved up all of the base runners and tied the game at 3. Stewart re-loaded the bases with a walk before an RBI-single by Kelley put the Pirates in front 4-3. 

Morrow followed with an RBI-ground out to make it 5-3 before Nicole Watkins capped off the frame with a two-run single to make it 7-3.

Arrington (2-for-4, one run, one RBI) drove in OCC's eighth run in the top of the seventh to make it 8-3, putting the Pirates in the driver's seat.

Things got dicey for the Pirates in the bottom of the seventh when Golden West used a single, double and three walks to score a pair of runs to make it 8-5 but Nance came through and forced the Rustlers into a game-ending fielder's choice to seal the victory.

Amaral led the Coast offense with a 3-for-4 performance. Watkins and Nance each had two hits and Stewart finished with a hit and two runs scored. OCC finished with 12 hits for the night.

OCC will return to action on Friday at home against Riverside, beginning at 2 p.m.