Softball: Vikings commit four costly errors in 7-2 loss to No. 5 Riverside

Four Long Beach City College errors led to four unearned runs as the Vikings suffered a 7-2 non-conference loss to visiting No. 5 state-ranked Riverside City College on Friday at LBCC.

The loss dropped Long Beach to 5-2 overall this season.

The Vikings took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off Riverside starting pitcher Kendall Apodaca. Sophomore Danielle Hannan (El Segundo HS) led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Liz Melendrez (Banning HS). With one out, sophomore Cassie Garcia (Banning HS) singled up the middle to drive in the speedy Hannan from second.

Freshman starter Frances Campoy (Santa Fe HS) pitched her way out of a pair of jams in the opening innings after leaving the bases loaded in the first and stranding a RCC runner on third in the second.

But she wasn't as fortunate in the third as Riverside took advantage of a misplayed ball in right field and a pair of two-out errors to score six runs in the inning.

Chelsea Crawley drove in a pair of runs with a double over the head of LBCC sophomore Samantha Goerlitz (Lakewood HS). A throwing error by Melendrez at short on Ingrid Williams' grounder allowed Crawley to score. Two batters later, Kylee Dattilo doubled down the left field line to bring in Williams. Dattillo's ball was booted in foul territory by left fielder Sara Valdepena, allowing Taylor Conner to score from first base. Chelsea Rosario capped the rally with a RBI single to right and the Tigers jumped out to a 6-1 lead.

LBCC scored its other run in the fifth after sophomore Melisa Sponholz drove in freshman Reanna Guzman from second with a single up the middle off RCC reliever Nichole Zink.

Riverside (2-0) closed out the scoring after Courtney Brown's sacrifice fly brought in Marisa Gardea, who tripled to lead off the sixth, against freshman reliever Nancy Montanez.

Campoy picked up the loss for the Vikings to fall to 3-1 overall. She allowed nine hits and six runs (two earned) in 3+ innings of work. Montanez also tossed three innings, allowing two hits and one run. Freshman Christine Kennedy closed out the game for LBCC with a scoreless seventh.

Apodaca (1-0) earned the win for RCC, giving up just one hits and a run while striking out three. Rosario went 3 for 5 at the plate to lead the Tigers' offense.

Long Beach returns to action on Tuesday (Feb 7) when it travels to face two-time defending state champion Cypress College in a 3 pm non-conference game.

Photo: Reanna Guzman covers second base on Taylor Connor's stolen base. (By Chris Ruiz)