Monarchs Hold Off Two Late Santa Ana Rallies
SANTA ANA, CA - Visiting Los Angeles Valley College used a four-run fifth inning and stymied two late Santa Ana College rallies to upend the host-Dons, 6-4, in non-conference fastpitch softball action, Wednesday. The Monarchs ( 9-3-1) used four consecutive hits and two Santa Ana errors in the top of the fifth to erase a 2-1 deficit and take a 5-2 lead.
Breckon Broner, Amanda Salazar and Alex Velasquez each singled to load the bases and scored on Lorena Arreguin's three-run triple to left-center past a diving-catch attempt by Santa Ana's Brittany Heinle. Arreguin would one out later on a fielding error by the Dons' first baseman. The sophomore catcher, who finished 2 for 4 with three RBI, was one of four Monarchs to have two or more hits in the game. Salazar led all batters with her 3 for 4 performance. She also scored once and drove in one while Broner (2 for 4,
2 RBI) and Leilani Madrigal (2 for 3) each had multiple hit games.
Santa Ana (5-6) scored single runs in the first, third and fifth innings and cut the Monarchs' lead to 6-4 on Melissa Wilt's two-out RBI-double to left that scored who walked and advance to second on an illegal pitch. The Dons loaded the bases on back-to-back walks issued to Ale Alvarado and Amanda Marchegiano before Los Angeles Valley 's starter Pauline Morquecho forced Heinle to fly out to center end the inning.
Santa Ana put together another two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying and winning runs on base before Morquecho caught Wilt looking at strike three to end the game. Kim Moore, who was 2 for 3, doubled down the left field line to start the Dons' threat while Charlene Sanchez and Jasmine Joyce loaded the bases on back-to-back walks to set the stage for Wilt.
Offensively, Nina Hernandez (2 for 4, 1 RBI), Jessica Wardle (2 for 4, 1 RBI) and Moore each had two hits apiece for the Dons. Santa Ana starter Ramona Garcia fell to 3-4 on the year after giving up five runs on 10 hits in four innings of work. Garcia struck out two and walked one before giving way to Moore who allowed one run on two hits over the final three innings.
The Monarchs' Morquecho improved 7-2 with the win. The freshman righthander gave up four runs on eight hits and five walks. She struck out three.
Next: vs Orange Coast College, Friday, March 4, 3 p.m.
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