Pirates swept by El Camino in doubleheader

COSTA MESA -- One bad inning proved costly twice for the Orange Coast College softball team during a pair of season-opening losses to visiting El Camino on Saturday at the OCC Softball Complex.

In the opener, a botched rundown on a bunt led to two unearned runs and that proved to be the difference as the Pirates fell, 2-1.

In the nightcap, first-inning walks led to four early runs as the Warriors cruised to a 9-2 victory to improve to 4-0 overall.

Sophomore righty Kellie Tiner pitched well enough to win the opener, allowing those two unearned runs on just five hits over seven innings with two walks and seven strikeouts. But she was slightly outgunned by ECC pitcher Danielle Bonsky, who also went the distance and allowed just one earned run on seven hits with no walks and one strikeout.

OCC's lone run came in the bottom of the sixth when Bailey Blair doubled to left field and Ariel Fernandez drove her in with a double to center three batters later. But Fernandez was stranded at second to end the sixth and Bonsky retired the Pirates in order in the seventh to pick up the win.

In Game 2, El Camino jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first when four walks and a run-producing error were followed up with an RBI single by Jackie Gonzalez and a two-run double by Dani Bonsky.

ECC made it 6-0 on a two-run home run by Reina Trejo before Coast got those runs back in the bottom of the second. Back-to-back doubles by Mariah Dominguez and Fernandez put Coast on the scoreboard before Fernandez would eventually make it 6-2 when she scored on a wild pitch.

Trejo, ECC's starting pitcher in the nightcap, settled down after that and held the Pirates in check the rest of the way, allowing only three baserunners over the final five innings. Tiner, who entered the game with two outs in the first inning, threw the final 6 1/3 innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on seven this with two walks and three strikeouts to go along with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate.

Dominguez had three hits including a pair of doubles for the Pirates during the twinbill, as did Tiner.

The Pirates will return to action on Wednesday at home against College of the Desert, beginning at 2 p.m.