Santa Ana Trims Tigers, 4-2, in Riverside

RIVERSIDE -- Falling victim to a quick start and becoming unable to recover, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's fastpitch softball lost a 4-2 Orange Empire Conference (OEC) home decision to the visiting Santa Ana College (SAC) Dons Wednesday evening (March 26) at Brown Field (Evans Sports Complex).

Santa Ana (22-6, 9-4 OEC) pulled to within two games of the first-place Tigers (20-7, 11-2 OEC) with its second win over RCC this season.

The Dons took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Frosh LF Emily Whitecavage (Vista del Lago HS) dumped a bunt single in front of the plate to get SAC started. Sophomore 2B Alyssa Yglesias (Mater Dei HS) then blasted a double off the left-field fence to put runners at second and third. Sophomore CF Keila Tenorio (Pacifica HS) then drilled a RBI single through the right side of the infield to plate Whitecavage. When the return throw came back to home plate, Tenorio broke for second base and reached it as Yglesias raced home for the 2-0 lead.

In the third, Whitecavage singled to shortstop and Yglesias singled her to second. After a walk to load the bases, frosh C Annie Dowling (Woodbridge HS) lofted a sacrifice fly to right to score Whitecavage. Whitecavage and Yglesias each had three hits to lead Santa Ana.

RCC plated single runs in the second and third, thanks to a RBI double by frosh DP Alex Salgado (Valley View HS) and RBI single by frosh C Selena Duran (Riverside / Arlington HS), respectively, to pull to within 3-2. Frosh 2B Jessica valenzuela (Rialto / Aquinas HS) had two hits, including a double in the third inning which hit the top of the fence and stayed in play. Had it left the field, things might have been different for the Tigers.

In the fourth, Whitecavage drilled a RBI single through the left side for the final margin.

Frosh RHP Kirstin Gutierrez (Savanna HS), who came on in relief to start the bottom of the third inning, pitched the last five innings to gain credit for the win (7-4). Gutierrez allowed one run (earned) on six hits and one walk with no strikeouts.

RCC starting frosh RHP Bailey Powell (Riverside / Notre Dame HS), who went the first four frames, allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts and saw her record fall to 11-5.

Riverside returns to action on Friday, Mar. 28, when it hosts the College of the Canyons Cougars in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m., with the nightcap scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Santa Ana will be idle for a week until next Wednesday, April 2, when it hosts district-rival Santiago Canyon at 3 p.m. in an OEC contest.

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