SANTA BARBARA – In its final home doubleheader of the season on Tuesday, the SBCC softball team closed out Moorpark with a 10-2 win in five innings, scoring all 10 runs during the first two innings. In the first game of the day, the Vaqueros' late comeback effort fell short in an 8-6 defeat.
SBCC 10, Moorpark 2
After going scoreless through the first two innings in the first game of the day, the Vaqueros (16-14, 4-7) began game two with one of their most explosive offensive stretches of the year.
After Moorpark (8-22, 3-8) scored two runs in the top of the first, Lauren Indermuehle was hit by a pitch to start things off. Two at bats later, Emma Hatcher singled for the first of nine Vaquero hits in the first inning. Elliana Ryan hit a two-run double to open the scoring.
RBI singles from Mackenzie Ensign, Delaney Neely, Jessica Reveles, Mellanie Barth and Indermuehle all followed as SBCC went eight at bats without a single out. Indermuehle nearly scored twice, but the Raiders were finally able to end the inning leaving her on third base.
SBCC "slowed down" in the bottom of the second, still turning in three more runs. Ryan led off with a walk and Alexia Ayala came in as a pinch runner. Ensign hit her second single of the day and Reveles hit a two-run double before scoring a run herself, putting SBCC ahead 10-2.
Indermuehle, who pitched the entire game, played a clean final three innings. After allowing no hits in the third and fourth, Indermuehle and the Vaquero defense shutout Moorpark in the fifth to seal the five-inning victory.
Moorpark 8, SBCC 6
Earlier in the day, the teams traded punches early on. An early three-run homer for the Raiders was answered by a three-run third inning for the Vaqueros.
Moorpark regained the lead for good in the top of the fourth, scoring four more runs. The visitors led 8-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth.
SBCC's late comeback bid began with two runs in the sixth. Sarah Hammonds scored first on a passed ball and Indermuehle hit a sac fly to center field to bring in a run by Neely.
Needing three runs in the seventh, Ryan got on base with a single and scored on an RBI single by Ensign, but that would be the last run of the day for either team.
