Nick Priga
Pierce College’s softball team faced Santa Barbara City College yesterday. The final score was 5-4 in SBCC’s favor. The loss against SBCC is the 7th consecutive loss for the Brahmas.
SBCC scored the first run in the first inning by Kellee Venturi. Pierce caught up in the second inning off a hit by outfielder Liz Amaya. With two outs and bases loaded, The Brahmas were unable to capitalize on the situation when a hit by second baseman Ana Izaguirre was caught by pitcher Bryanna Monelo.
Alyse Scarmozzino pitched for Pierce through the all 8 innings, while SBCC replaced Bryanna Monelo with Gabby Garza during the 5th inning. Amber Bock, who sat out the game due to an injury, said, “A relief pitcher messes with the flow, but we got hits off of her.” Pierce scored 2 two runs during the 5th inning.
A consideration requested by Pierce regarding whether or not one of SBCC’s runners was forced out at second was thrown out. Greg Wertz, an assistant coach for Pierce, said that it did not hurt Pierce because Pierce was able to force out a runner during the next play. Izaguirre said that it was a blow to the team’s morale.
Bock said” We figured we could stop them at the seventh.” By the end of the seventh inning, the score was tied 4-4. Second basemen Ana Izaguirre said “We get to where we need to be, but couldn’t finish it off.”The game ran into one extra inning.
Izaguirre attributed part of the loss due to 4 out of 9 of Pierce’s starters suffering from injuries.
Greg Wertz, an assistant coach for Pierce, said “You coach girls to be aggressive, but they got a little bit too aggressive.” Bock echoed a similar sentiment saying “We want to win, to be aggressive, but it can be a downfall,” adding that players tend to “get more aggressive when you need that score.”
Wertz said that two or three of SBCC’s runs were based on errors, saying “Our errors hurt us, their errors didn’t hurt them.”
Bock said “We want to win, and we can beat these teams. We just need to make it happen.”
Pierce college will play against Allen Hancock College on Mar. 24 at the Allen Hancock College campus at 2:30 in the afternoon.
