The undefeated Long Beach City College softball team defeated East Los Angeles College in a five-inning 9-1 conference victory for their ninth-consecutive win. With the win, the Vikings advance to 9-0 overall and 3-0 in conference.
Freshman pitcher Noelany Benitez only allowed the Huskies to one run on four hits, while striking out two in five innings on the mound.
The Vikings were off to great start as freshman center fielder Yazmin Zendejas was scored in from freshman short stop Jade Wittman's RBI single. Freshman third baseman Ileana Rivera was up next with a double to center field to bring in Wittman to take the initial 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
The Vikings kept their offensive momentum as Benitez scored the Vikings' third run in the bottom of the second, followed by a sacrifice fly from Wittman to bring in freshman pinch runner Jaydy Machuca to extend their lead 4-0 over the Huskies.
East Los Angeles bounced back in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI single, but the Vikings weren't finished yet. Freshman pinch runner Savannah Headley stole home to kick-off the five-run inning. Then freshman second baseman Alora Murray scored on a Husky throwing error and Zendejas smashed a triple to score in freshman right fielder Inessa Smith and Murray. The Vikings finished the game with an RBI single from freshman catcher Jocelyn Cebedo to bring in Zendejas to seal the 9-1 conference victory over the Huskies.
Zendejas was stellar at the dish as she finished the game with two runs, two hits that included a double and a triple, with three RBIs.
The Long Beach City College softball team will play again on Thursday, Feb. 14 at Chaffey College in their fifth conference game at 3 p.m.
