Pirates lose heartbreaker to Lancers

COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College softball team nearly pulled off an impressive late-inning rally, but the Pirates came up short in a 4-3 loss to visiting Pasadena City College on Saturday afternoon.

Coast (1-7) trailed 2-0 early and 4-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh. A leadoff walk by Ariel Fernandez was followed by a two-run home run off the bat of Linnea Donahugh, cutting the OCC deficit to 4-3. 

Gretchen Hom hit a line drive to right, but was retired by a nice catch from PCC's Derek Blow. Natalie Bramlett fought off several two-strike pitches before earning a hard-fought walk. After stealing second, Emma Silvestri lined out to left field for the second out.

Taylor Gallo, who was denied a hit-by-pitch by the home-plate umpire, kept her composure and ripped a single up the middle, but Lancer centerfielder Cynthia McKeehan aggressively fielded the ball and got just enough on the throw to retire Bramlett at the plate to end the game.

Pasadena (6-5) scored in the top of the third on a one-out, RBI-double to left and the Lancers followed in the fourth with a solo home run by blow off of Pirate starter Cayla Ezelle. 

Coast cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fifth when Hom lined a one-out single to center, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a ground out by Bramlett.

It stayed that way until the top of the seventh, before PCC added some welcomed insurance runs. An RBI-double by Moreno and an RBI-single by Karen Najera capped off the Lancers' two-run inning.

Ezelle threw well for the Pirates, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits with six strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Raeleen Fuentes picked up the win for the Lancers, allowing one run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Coast will return to Orange Empire Conference play on Wednesday at Golden West College, beginning at 3 p.m. OCC's next home game will take place on Friday against Saddleback, beginning at 2 p.m.