Pirates rally to topple Warriors
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Orange Coast | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
|
El Camino | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
TORRANCE -- The Orange Coast College softball team continues to chop down some big trees in the early portion of the 2024 season as the Pirates rallied to beat host El Camino, 7-6, on Thursday in a nonconference matchup.
The Pirates (4-1), winners of four straight, trailed 3-1 and 5-3 before using a four-run fourth inning to pull away from the Warriors (5-3). ECC would score a run in the sixth and threaten to even the score over the last two innings, but Coast maintained composure and found a way to win.
Isabel McElroy went 1-for-2, reached base three times, scored twice and drove in a run for the Pirates, while Jasmyn Morales, Anaiyah Yniguez and Katie Belmontes each had a hit and an RBI.
Angela Whitmer put forth a gritty performance, pitching a complete game, allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits with four strikeouts, but she managed to grind her way to a victory by getting key outs at the key moments.
Trailing 5-3 after three innings, the pivotal fourth inning for Coast started with consecutive singles from Lexia Martinez, Taylor Nguye, McKenzie Koshi and McElroy, tying the game at 5. Back-to-back sacrifice flies by Morales and Natalie Lowthers helped give Coast a 7-5 advantage.
El Camino scored a run in the sixth to make it 7-6 and had runners on second and third with two outs, but Whitmer coaxed an inning-ending fly out to end the threat, keeping the Pirates in front.
There was more drama in the bottom of the seventh when ECC's Anahi Pintado led off with a pinch-hit double to center, but from there, Whitmer left her stranded, thanks to a fly out and back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.
The Pirates will have a little road trip on Saturday as they take on Allan Hancock College up in Santa Maria for a doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m.
