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By Glen Willett / Staff Writer
Dominance (Brittney Rye / Staff Photographer )
By Glen Willett / Staff Writer
The Riverside City College fastpitch team took home victories in two of its three games in the Bakersfield College Classic tournament on March 19.
The Tigers would lose their opening game to tournament host Bakersfield Renegades by a score of 1-0. However the Tigers would close the tournament by defeating the Pasadena City College Lancers 9-1 and the Vaqueros of Santa Barbara City College 6-0.
In the Tigers first game against Bakersfield RCC pitcher Nicole Zink pitched an absolute gem, allowing only one run and four hits while striking out nine Renegades batters in her seven innings of work.
Unfortunately for Zink, RCC was unable to push any of the nine runners they had on base during the game across the plate. The game was lost for the Tigers when Bakersfield catcher Kara Frankhouser drove in infielder Jazmin Irvin in the bottom of the eighth inning with her only hit of the game.
Offense was not a problem for the Tigers in the second game of the series however.
The team would combine for 11 hits, five of them for extra bases. Four different Tigers batters had doubles in the game and outfielder Patti Manser would add a solo home run.
Tigers’ infield Nicole Peluffo went three-of-four with a double and three RBIs to her credit in leading the Tigers’ attack.
RCC pitcher Chelsea Ponce remained undefeated on the season by pitching a complete game shutout, allowing three hits and striking out two Lancers batters in the process.
RCC closed out its tournament play sending Zink back to the mound with a chance to avenge her heartbreaking loss from earlier in the day.
She was on point once again for the Tigers, going seven scoreless innings while striking out 13 of the 28 batters she would face in the game. This time around the Tigers gave Zink the run support she needed to get the win; compiling six runs on 14 hits and again collecting four doubles as a team.
Tigers’ catcher Lindsay Monk was the standout performer on offense for the team going three-of-four, including a double as well as an RBI and stolen base.
The Tigers (21-3, 9-1), who are currently in first place in the Orange Empire Conference, will resume conference play as the team will finish out its season playing teams in the conference and push for the playoffs.
