The Long Beach City College softball team came up just short in its upset attempt of No. 8 state-ranked Mt. San Antonio College, as the Vikings fell 3-2 in a South Coast Conference game at LBCC on Thursday.
The Mounties (17-4, 12-1 SCC) scored a run in the first and two more in the second off Long Beach starting pitcher Frances Campoy (Santa Fe HS) while Mt. SAC starter Natalie Sanchez made it stand.
Campoy ran into trouble in the second and was removed from the game after a dropped fly ball in left allowed the second run of the inning to score. Freshman Christine Kennedy (El Segundo HS, pictured) inherited runners on second and third with one out and got LBCC out of the jam unharmed.
Kennedy pitched brilliantly in relief as she tossed a scoreless 5 2/3 innings and allowed just four hits. At one point, she retired nine straight Mt. SAC batters before allowing a two-out double in the seventh.
Long Beach (12-12, 7-5 SCC) got a run in the second when freshman Reanna Guzman was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force sophomore Cassie Garcia (Banning HS) in from third. But the Vikings left the bases full after Sanchez got sophomore Danielle Hannan (El Segundo HS) to line out to first to end the inning.
LBCC manufactured another run in the third. With one out and runners on second and third, Garcia grounded out to the hole at second base. It was deep enough to allow freshman Karissa Reynoso (Bellflower HS) to score and Long Beach trailed by just one.
The Vikings' best chance to put up more runs came in the bottom of the fifth. LBCC had runners on first and second with two outs, but freshman Shanise Compton (North Torrance HS) lined out to Sanchez in the circle to end the inning.
Campoy picked up the loss to fall to 8-7. She allowed three runs (two earned) and four hits over just 1 1/3 innings.
Sanchez (9-1) went the distance for the Mounties as she allowed two runs and four hits over seven innings.
The Vikings return to action on Saturday (Mar 24) when they travel to Ventura College to face Ventura and San Diego City College in non-conference games.
Photo by Chris Ruiz