SANTA ANA - After both teams managed just one hit apiece through three innings, the offenses came alive late in game one of the California Community College Athletic Association Softball Southern Regional Championships. After four combined home runs in the final three innings, it was #9 College of the Desert that came out with an 8-4 win over #8 Santa Ana College.
The two teams will play again tomorrow in game two of the series. Desert (30-8) can advance to the Super Regionals with just one win while the Dons (26-15) need to force, and win, a third game to advance. Game two will be played at 12:00 p.m. and game three, if necessary, is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
The Roadrunners got things going in the fourth inning with a leadoff single before a hit by pitch and sacrifice fly. Janelle Eccles then singled in the game's first run before a fielder's choice put the Roadrunners up 2-0. Roxanne Allen capped the scoring two batters later when she reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Natalie Padilla to score.
The Dons would quickly cut Desert's lead to just one run in the bottom of the fourth. Danielle Hernandez drew a leadoff walk before Sabrina Perez hit a two-run home run to make the score 3-2.
But Desert would get another big inning in the fifth inning to go up 7-2. The first run of the inning came in on an error before Eccles hit a three-run home run.
Needing a late rally, the Dons seemed poised to have a breakout inning in the sixth as Perez hit her second home run of the day to lead the frame off. With the home run, Perez set the Dons single season and career home records while also tying the SAC single game home record.
Devon Rodriguez then reached on an error before back-to-back base hits loaded the bases. Mina Pavao followed with a sacrifice fly that cut the lead to 7-4 but the Dons failed to push another run across.
Desert would get its final run in the seventh inning on Danyelle Sturm's solo home run.
Alyssa Fuimaono (15-4) got the win for Desert as she held the Dons to four runs, three earned, on seven hits over seven innings. Rodriguez (13-5) took the loss for the Dons as she allowed three runs on four hits in four innings.
