Oxnard's Giselle Roldan broke open a tight 5-4 softball game on Monday with a grand slam in a six-run fifth inning that carried the Condors to an 11-4 victory over SBCC at Pershing Park.
Roldan, a freshman shortstop, went 3-4 from the leadoff spot with a homer, a double and three runs. Destiny Murillo was 2-3 with two RBIs for the Condors (11-11-1, 5-3 WSC North).
Third baseman Samantha Yanes led the Vaqueros (6-17, 2-5), going 2-3 with a two-out, two-run single through the left side that made it 5-4 in the fourth inning. Hannah Weaver was 2-3 and drove in SBCC's first run with a single to left that scored Emily LoneTree in the first. Shelby Featherston followed with an RBI double to right-center, tying the game at 2-2.
Samantha Yanes 2-out, 2-run single in 4th cuts deficit to one, 5-4. pic.twitter.com/GM55xYRqW3
— SBCCVaqueros (@SBCCVaqueros) March 25, 2019
Paige Powell pitched the first three innings for the Vaqueros and gave up five runs on four hits. Carson Dunckley relieved her in the fourth and she surrendered the grand slam an inning later, prompting SBCC coach Justine Bosio to bring Powell back into the circle to finish the game.
"It's kind of been our thing this year to have one bad inning that kills us," said Bosio. "We were just talking about how we need to be better overall. Better as a team and as individuals for whatever our role is for that day.
"We need to make adjustments in the now instead of waiting until the seventh inning to figure it out."
The Vaqueros issued 11 free passes on six walks and five hit batters.
"It was a little bit of a struggle in the circle but I felt like we should have done better in the box to make up for it," explained Bosio.
The Vaqueros had eight baserunners in the first three innings but only scored two runs.
"We did hit some balls hard but they went right at people," Bosio added. "There's a big difference between hitting it hard at people and popping up or grounding out."
The Vaqueros will play four games in six days this week. They'll travel to first-place Bakersfield (8-0) on Tuesday, then host Hancock on Thursday (2:30 p.m.) and Riverside on Saturday at 2 p.m. in a non-conference game.