IVC softball tops Grossmont, 7-4
IMPERIAL — Competitive pitching and timely hitting lifted the Imperial Valley College softball team to a 7-4 Pacific Coast Athletic Conference victory over Grossmont College here on Wednesday afternoon.
The Arabs worked to put up two runs in the first and second innings and one run in the bottom of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings of play to improve to 17-4 overall and 4-0 in conference action.
Helping IVC get on the board early in the game was lead-off hitter Melannie Ibarra, who opened with a single and came around to score on an Andrea Quiroz hit.
Quiroz then scored a run of her own off a Giselle Padilla sacrifice bunt, to give IVC an early advantage.
In the bottom of the second inning, IVC rallied with two outs as Ibarra singled and drove in Hazmin Guardado, who walked to open the inning.
Quiroz later tallied her second RBI of the game, before Grossmont made a pitching change, replacing Alex Penrose with Jessica Schoen.
Schoen managed to keep IVC off the board in the third inning, allowing her team to tie the game in the top of the fourth.
A walk and two singles to open the inning helped the visiting Griffins load the bases with no outs, before starting IVC pitcher Sinclaire Mays worked to get the fourth and fifth batters of the inning out on a pop-up and fly ball, respectively, that scored a run.
Grossmont’s Julissa Cardenas then tripled to clear the bases and bring the score to 4-3.
She eventually scored the game-tying run after Alizah Jamison singled.
IVC’s Mays stayed composed in the circle, however, and got Sydney Vates to pop up, ending the inning.
The score did not remain tied for long, as Priscilla Silva tripled and drove in Ibarra to give IVC the lead once again.
In the fifth inning, Mays was relieved by Jalyn McClain, who ultimately went on to earn the victory.
IVC head coach Jill Lerno commended her players’ efforts, including those of pitchers Mays and McClain.
Mays gave IVC a solid start throwing four innings and striking out one, before McClain stepped in to relieve. She closed the game for the win by giving up just two hits and striking out one.
Lerno noted the consistency of the Arabs’ bats as of late and the reliability from the players down the lineup.
IVC stringed together 12 hits in the game, with Ibarra and Quiroz both going 3-4, Silva and Mays both going 2-3 and Skyler Tyson and Gaby Ramirez each connecting for one hit in the game.
The Arabs are off for a week and return to the diamond at 3 p.m. on Wednesday to host San Diego Mesa (12-6 overall, 2-1 PCAC).