Pirates fight to the end, but rally comes up short in finale
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Santa Ana | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 1 |
|
Orange Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 2 |
COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College softball team trailed 8-0 after three innings and still nearly pulled off the comeback of the season, but came up short in a 10-7 loss to visiting Santa Ana in the season finale on Wednesday afternoon.
The Pirates (10-25, 6-15 in Orange Empire Conference) chipped into that early eight-run deficit with three runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth to trail, 8-5. In the fourth, a pair of walks by Christina Freeman and Taylor Gallo was followed with an RBI-double off the bat of Anna Marin, putting Coast on the scoreboard.
Emma Silvestri followed with a grounder to third and the hustle of Gallo helped beat the play at the plate, making it 8-2. Ariel Fernandez followed with an RBI-single to left, scoring pinch-runner Nicole Rodriguez to make it 8-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Linnea Donahugh singled to center and moved up to second on a walk by Gallo. Much like the fourth inning, Marin came through with a double to left-center, scoring both runners to make it 8-5.
But the Dons (20-20, 11-10 in OEC) plated a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of 12 OCC walks and several wild pitches to extend their lead to 10-5.
Never giving up, the Pirates kept applying pressure to the Dons. With two runs on and two outs, Freeman ripped a single to right to score a run, making in 10-6 and after a SAC error, Coast took advantage of a wild pitch to plate another run to make it 10-7.
Twice the tying run came to the pate for OCC, but the Dons were able to get the big out down the stretch and hold on for the win.
Marin finished with two doubles, and three RBI, while Donahugh went 2-for-4 with two runs and Fernandez added two hits and an RBI.
For the Dons, Christina McCullogh went 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI and Marissa Moser added two hits and an RBI.
