Paul Walks, Scores Winning Run on Wild Pitch as Riverside Shades Santiago Canyon, 4-3

RIVERSIDE -- Michelle Paul walked with one out in the seventh and came around to score the game-winning run on a wild pitch to lift the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's fastpitch softball team to a 4-3 Orange Empire Conference (OEC) home win over the visiting Santiago Canyon College (SCC) Hawks Wednesday evening (March 12) at Brown Field (Evans Sports Complex).

The win, RCC's eighth straight, snapped the tie at the top of the OEC standings with SCC and gave the Tigers sole possession of first place.

Paul, a freshman RF from Norco (Norco HS), walked on four pitches with one out in the seventh and sprinted to third base on a booming double to left-center field off the bat of freshman C Selena Duran (Riverside / Arlington HS). With first base open, the Hawks elected to pitch to freshman 1B Kaylie Garcia (Grand Terrace / Colton HS), but the first pitch to her from SCC freshman relief RHP Stephanie Pelletier (Tustin / Tustin HS) sailed over the head of the catcher enabling Paul to race home with the game-winning run and just under the tag of Pelletier. Paul officially was zero for one with three walks and two runs.

Garcia drilled a one-out, bases-loaded single just inside the left-field line to give RCC a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

Riverside (15-4, 7-1 OEC) led, 3-1 entering the top of the seventh before the Hawks forged a 3-3 tie. Sophomore LF McRae Cayton (Irvine / Irvine HS) drilled a single through the right side of the infield to get the Hawks to within, 3-2. Two batters later, Santiago Canyon (17-3, 6-2 OEC) tied the game at 3-3 on an infield fielding error.

RCC freshman starting RHP Bailey Powell (Riverside / Notre Dame HS) went the distance to improve to 8-1. Powell pitched seven innings, and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Pelletier, who came on with one out in the second inning, pitched the final 5.0 ininngs and allowed just the one run (earned) on three hits and one walk with three strikeouts, but saw her record fall to 6-2.

Both teams continue OEC action on Friday, Mar. 14, at 2 p.m. when RCC hosts the Saddleback College Gauchos and SCC hosts the Fullerton College Hornets.

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