City College’s softball team lost to Long Beach City College 14-2 on Feb. 6 at Pershing Park.
The game started off poorly for the Vaqueros as a single and a stolen base by the leadoff hitter quickly took away their momentum.
Long Beach followed up the stolen base with back-to-back doubles and a 3-run home run, jumping out to a 4-0 lead.
Viking’s hitters came out aggressive and were fouling off pitches, making pitcher Ruby Bartholomew work early.
“They had a very strong and aggressive lineup,” Bartholomew said. “I was hitting my spots, sometimes they just figure you out.”
After a rough start allowing eight runs, the Vaqueros brought in pitcher Sammi Korte as a reliever.
With two runners on as Korte entered the game, she surrendered two additional runs via a walk and a single before ending the inning with a fly out that was caught by centerfielder Bella Cox.
During the next two innings, the Vaqueros had difficulty responding to the Vikings’ early 10-run surge. City College only managed two hits, one in the bottom of the first inning by third baseman Gracie Verdugo and the other in the second inning by first baseman Anja Perreira.
After a quiet second inning with three pop-ups, the third inning saw Long Beach score after a walk, back-to-back singles, a double, and a fielding error, boosting their lead to 13-0.
Korte responded to the Vikings’ three runs by striking out her next two batters faced and ending the inning with a groundout back to herself.
“You can tell they were a team that focused a lot on the outside corner,” Korte said. “It was easier once we figured that out and started throwing inside; it was calmer.”
Korte cruised through the final nine Long Beach outs, allowing only three hits and one run the rest of the way.
Heading into the final frame of the game, the Vaqueros found themselves trailing 14-0, hoping to end the game on a high note.
“The most important thing is I want them to continue to fight to the end,” head coach Monica Salas said. “The unexpected can happen at any time, it’s just about giving ourselves that chance.”
Juarez opened the inning, grounding out to the shortstop on a close call, and to the plate came Bartholomew, who hit a single up the middle to start the rally. Shortstop Mia Gaitan was next to bat and followed with a single of her own, setting up Korte to drive in two runs with a double to left center field.
“I knew it was the bottom of the fifth so there was nothing to lose,” Korte said. “All I thought was see ball, hit ball and that’s what happened.”
The rally was short-lived, with Cox grounding out to first base, ending the game.
“I’m proud of how they showed up until the end,” Salas said. “If they continue to have good energy, good things will happen.”
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