Softball: Seven-run fourth inning lifts LBCC to 9-1 win over LA Mission
Long Beach put up seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on its way to a 9-1, five-inning win over visiting Los Angeles Mission College on Tuesday in the Vikings’ 2012 home opener. Freshman Frances Campoy (pictured) went the distance in the win.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
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0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | X | 9 | 11 | 0 |
The Long Beach City College softball team put up seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on its way to a 9-1, five-inning win over visiting Los Angeles Mission College on Tuesday in the Vikings' 2012 home opener.
The mercy-rule win improved Long Beach to 5-1 overall this season.
Freshman Frances Campoy (Santa Fe HS) went the distance in the win for the Vikings. She allowed a first-inning run but settled down and retired 12 of the final 15 batters she faced. Campoy (pictured) scattered four hits over five innings.
Trailing 1-0, the Vikings got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. LBCC scored a pair of runs without even hitting the ball out of the infield. Freshman Liz Melendrez' (Banning HS) bases-loaded walk and a groundout by freshman Melyssa Rivas (Santa Fe HS) both forced in runs to put Long Beach ahead 2-0.
Long Beach came back the next inning to break the game open.
LBCC finally figured out Mission starting pitcher Melinda Robertson and tagged her for eight hits in the bottom of the fourth. The Vikings loaded the bases with no outs and started the rally with a RBI ground out by freshman Lauren Alferos (Torrance HS). Sophomore Danielle Hannan followed that up with a big two-run triple over the head of Mission right fielder Rachel Bruskoff.
Melendrez doubled home Hannan, Rivas added a one-out single to drive in Melendrez, and sophomore Melisa Sponholz (Millikan HS) capped the rally with a two-out, two-run double to bring in freshman Sara Valdepena (Bellflower HS) and Rivas to put in affect the eight-run mercy rule.
Hannan went 3 for 3 with 2 RBI to lead LBCC at the plate. Sponholz was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI while Melendrez (1 for 1) and Rivas (1 for 3) all drove in two runs for the Vikings.
Robertson picked up the loss for Mission (1-3 overall) after allowing nine runs (four earned) and 11 hits over four innings. Sara Lugo went 2 for 3 with two doubles to lead the Eagles' offense.
Long Beach returns to action on Friday (Feb 3) when it hosts Riverside City College in a 3 pm non-conference game.
Photo by Chris Ruiz