Tigers Throttle Golden West, 8-0, in Five Innings.

RIVERSIDE -- Jessica Valenzuela crushed her second home run of the season -- a two-run shot to dead center field to end the game -- and Bailey Powell pitched a five-inning no-hitter as the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's fastpitch softball team pounded out an 8-0 Orange Empire Conference (OEC) home victory over the visiting Golden West College (GWC) Rustlers Monday evening (March 17) at Brown Field (Evans Sports Complex).

Valenzuela, a freshman 2B from Rialto (Aquinas HS), smacked a 1-1 offering from GWC reliever Kelly Combs to drive in freshman C Selena Duran (Riverswide / Arlington HS) ahead of her to give RCC an 8-0 lead when the eight-run "mercy" rule went into effect.

Valenzuela, who singled and scored RCC's first run in the second inning, led the Tigers with a two for three game, as well as two runs and the two RBI. Duran was two for two with a RBI single earlier in the fifth inning.

Riverside (17-4, 9-1 OEC), currently in first place in the conference standings, pounded out nine hits, while Golden West (2-18, 0-10 OEC) could only manage a base runner in the second inning when catcher Kewnzie Brewster was hit by a pitch with the count 1-0.

RCC freshman starting RHP Bailey Powell (Riverside / Notre Dame HS) struck out six in the mercy-rule shortened no-hitter and only went to a three-ball count twice in 16 batters faced. With the win, Powell improved to 8-3 and has one save. GWC starting RHP Dori Portillo went the first four innings-plus, allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits with one walk and saw her record fall to 0-8.

Both teams return to OEC action on Wednesday, Mar. 19, at 3 p.m. when Riverside visits the Fullerton College Hornets and Golden West treks to face the Santiago Canyon College Hawks.

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