Pedraza's heroics lift Pirates past Rustlers
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Golden West | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
|
Orange Coast | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
COSTA MESA -- Olivia Pedraza was a one-person offensive show for the Orange Coast College softball team, delivering the game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Pirates past rival Golden West, 2-1, on Tuesday at the OCC Softball Stadium.
After launching a solo home run in the third inning for the Pirates (17-2, 7-0 in the Orange Empire Conference), the freshman rightfielder came through with a two-out, game-winning double in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the host Pirates home with their seventh conference win in a row.
Tuesday's showdown between two of the top 20 teams in the state was a pitcher's duel throughout between OCC's Daniella Sanchez and GWC's Desyree Arizmendi. Both pitchers managed to wiggle out of some late-inning jams before Coast finally broke the 1-1 tie in the seventh.
Arizmendi was her own best friend at the plate as well, tying the game for the Rustlers in the top of the sixth with a solo home run to left.
In the top of the seventh, two hits and an error loaded the bases for GWC, before Sanchez picked up a huge defensive play from shortstop Isabel Lopez, who picked up a tough one-hop chopper and retired the speedy Abbie Rainwater to end the threat, keeping the game tied at 1.
In the bottom of the seventh, a well-placed infield single by Kelsey McNair and a bunt that landed over the head of a charging GWC infielder put runners on first and second with nobody out.
The next two batters were retired and the game looked to go extras, but Pedraza lined a shot to right that carried over the right-fielder's head, allowing McNair to score the winning run.
Sanchez (7-0) allowed just the Arizmendi home run on six hits over seven innings with a pair of walks and three strikeouts to collect the win. Arizmendi took the tough loss, allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
Game 2 of this three-game series takes place on Thursday at GWC, beginning at 2 p.m., with the series finale set for Friday, also at 2 p.m.
