Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – Sophomore second baseman Alexandra Flores kept the Poets undefeated in non-conference play this season after homering twice and accounting for all the Poet runs in game two of the doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Palmer Field as softball swept the Williams College Ephs 3-1 and 3-2.
With the sweep the Poets now improve to 14-6, 6-6 SCIAC, while the Ephs drop to 4-10.
Both games proved to be pitching duels with both senior Jessica Rosnack and junior Courtney DeLano pitching gems on the afternoon both earning complete game victories.
Game 1 (W, 3-1)
After four innings of scoreless softball, the Ephs struck first in the top half of the 5th thanks to a Cendejas double to left center that brought home Li.
But the Poets responded in the bottom half of the sixth plating three. With one out, Mickala Gonzales ripped one up the middle to start the rally, after an error by the center fielder that advanced Gonzales to second, Emi Shimamoto was hit by pitch that loaded the bases. On the ensuing batter, Jordan Learn was out due to a fielder's choice but it brought home the game tying run. With two outs, the Poets weren't done as Xzandra Miranda-Castro reached thanks to an error by the shortstop that brought around the go ahead run. Then after an Alyse Gutierrez single that once again loaded the bases, Flores drove in an insurance run with a single of her own up the middle.
Rosnack then took to the mound in the 7th and shut down the side preserving her third win and her best pitching performance of the season giving up one run on six hits to go with a season high seven strikeouts.
Offensively the Poets were led by Courtney Grana who finished 2-2, while Gutierrez finished 2-3.
Game 2 (W, 3-2)
The second game of the doubleheader saw Flores drive two balls out of the park that proved to be the only offense created by the Poets in the one run victory.
After two scoreless frames the Poets struck first in the bottom half of the third when Flores drove a 1-1 pitch to left for a two run shot that put the Purple & Gold in front early 2-0. Flores wouldn't be done there though as she belted her second homerun of the game opposite field that put the Purple & Gold up 3-0.
DeLano continued with her dominance on the mound pitching five shutout innings until she got into a jam in the 6th when the Ephs brought around two thanks to Precht who doubled down the left field line bringing across Ensor and Cramer.
After she got out of the 6th keeping the lead intact, DeLano ran into trouble in the 7th as Williams got runners on second and third with one out threatening. But DeLano was able to get Cramer to line out to shortstop and Li to groundout preserving the one run victory and her seventh win of the season.
DeLano wrapped up her sixth complete game of the season going 7.0 innings of work giving up two runs (unearned) on five hits to go with a season high nine strikeouts.
Whittier returns to conference play this weekend when they host Occidental College on Friday, March 29 with game times set for 2:00pm and 4:00pm.
