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By Javier Cabrera / Editor in Chief
By Javier Cabrera / Editor in Chief
A familiar scene emerged for the Riverside City College fastpitch team as it seen itself in another battle to advance to the state finals tournament.
A year ago RCC fell one game short from advancing to the state finals tournament following a loss to Cypress College.
The experience a year ago came in handy for RCC today as the team was able to come back and defeat College of the Canyons, 5-3, to advance to the state finals tournament in Bakersfield next weekend.
RCC started the super regional tournament at College of the Canyons on May 11, against Saddleback College, where RCC was able to beat Saddleback, 12-4.
The following day, RCC kept its foot on the pedal as it beat Southwestern College, 5-2, to head into the regional tournament finals with no losses.
In order to be eliminated in the regional tournament, a team must lose two games.
RCC was in the driver seat today, as it was facing College of the Canyons, who had one loss; RCC needed one win to win the regional tournament and advance to the state finals tournament.
Riverside fell behind in Game 1 of the regional tournament finals as College of the Canyons was able to win, 8-0.
Shortly after a 30 minute break, the two teams ran back on to the field for a “winner-take-all” game.
College of the Canyons jumped to a 2-0 lead after three innings.
Riverside was able to get its first run of the day with a sacrifice fly by Chelsea Crawley in the bottom of the third.
RCC was able to tie the game in the fifth inning when Crawley came through for Riverside again with a single.
RCC took control of the game in the sixth inning with a wild, two-error bunt sacrifice play by Kim Bentley, to give Riverside a 4-2 lead.
Chelsea Rosario added another run for Riverside in the inning to give the team a 5-2 lead.
RCC was able to hold off College of the Canyons at the top of the seventh inning as College of the Canyons cut the lead to two with two runners on base.
Riverside is advancing to the state finals tournament for the second time in RCC’s history and the second time in three years.
RCC’s first appearance in the state finals was in 2009.
Viewpoints has confirmed RCC’s first round opponent is going be College of the Siskiyous in the state finals tournament next weekend.
Cypress College, who won the other Southern California regional tournament, is going to be No. 1 and RCC is going to be No. 2 in the South at the state finals tournament.
Cypress is going to face Sierra College, who is going to be No. 2 in the North, at the state finals tournament.
Siskiyous, who won one of the Northern California regional tournaments, will be No. 1 in the North at the state finals tournament.
RCC faced Siskiyous in first round of the 2009 state finals. RCC lost to Siskiyous, 10-2. RCC was thrown in the loser’s bracket of the 2009 state finals tournament, where they lost to Cerritos College, 10-4, and eliminated by Cerritos.
Siskiyous went on to win the 2009 state championship.
More on RCC fastpitch advancing to the state finals is to come later this week.
