SBCC Softball Rallies Late, But Falls to Oxnard in 8 Innings

SANTA BARBARA – The SBCC softball team erased a five-run defiict against Oxnard on Tuesday to force extra innings, but the Condors finally put the game away late to defeat the Vaqueros 12-8.

SBCC is now 9-24 overall and 3-4 in the WSC, while Oxnard moves to 4-22 overall, 2-4 WSC.

ON THE STAT SHEET

• The Vaqueros racked up 17 hits, tied for their most since the 2017 season. Naveah Freitas and Paige Powell both set season-highs with three to lead the team.
• Sarah Hammonds also had three hits for the second time this year, just one shy of her season-best of four back on Feb. 15 against Cerro Coso.
• Jade Leoffler, Alyssa Perez and Mckinnzie Grossini had two hits apiece. Grossini also had SBCC's only walk.
• In the circle, Paige Powell had an excellent day relief pitching, giving up just one hit and a walk in two innings to help the Vaqueros come back and extend the game late.

HOW IT HAPPENED

1st-3rd Innings (4-3 Oxnard)

• The visitors were hot early on, scoring three runs on four hits in the first inning. They would make it a 4-0 game in the top of the third.
• SBCC's only hit of the first two innings was a Hammonds double to left center in the second. In the third, the Vaqueros made it a close game with three runs.
• Grossini and Isabella Huckaby started things off with back-to-back singles. A successful sacrifice bunt from Lauren Indermuehle moved them both into scoring position.
• Against two outs, Freitas tallied her first of three hits for the day, singling up the middle to bring in Huckaby for SBCC's first run of the day. Powell stepped up next, hitting a two-run single into center field to make it 4-3 in favor of Oxnard.

4th-6th Innings (8-5 Oxnard)

• The Condors came right back with another three-run inning, once again recording four hits before the Vaquero defense caught a runner for the final out before she could make it to third.
• Neither team scored in the fifth, but Oxnard extended to an 8-3 lead scoring on a passed ball in the top of the sixth.
• The SBCC hits started pouring in from there, with four coming in the bottom half of the sixth. Leoffler singled and later scored on a single to right center by Perez. Hammonds would score on another single by Grossini into right field.

7th Inning (8-8 Tie)

• With their backs against the wall, the Vaqueros provided another magical seventh inning, as they have a handful of times this season. They put up 10 of their 17 hits over the final three innings alone.
• Powell singled to first and Leoffler hit a double, putting runners on second and third. Hammonds hit a two-run double down into dangerous territory down the right field line, bringing SBCC within one run.
• Hammonds then provided the tying run, scoring on a single through the left side by Perez to make it 8-8, but SBCC's offense stalled from there.

8th Inning (12-8 Oxnard)

• Unfortunately for the Vaqueros, the comeback bid would end in the eighth, as Oxnard put up another four runs in the top half of the inning.
• Freitas and Powell both notched their third hits in the bottom of the eighth, but would be left on base as the Condors picked up the final outs.

NEXT UP
Santa Barbara is back home for three more games this week, starting with Thursday's matchup against Moorpark at 2:30 p.m. at Pershing Park.