ELAC softball earns three-game win streak
MONTEREY PARK, CA — The East Los Angeles College softball team won three home games this week, a 7-4 win against Citrus College today, a 10-5 shocker against the state’s No. 9-ranked Cerritos College yesterday, and an 11-5 win vs. LA Harbor College on Tuesday.
Against Citrus, the Owls led 2-1 after three innings on a warm sunny day. Lightning struck from both teams’ bats in the fifth inning. Citrus scored two runs for a 4-1 lead entering the bottom of the fifth. The ELAC bats added thunder and turned a three-run deficit into a three-run lead, 7-4.
The Huskies outhit the Owls 11-9. Four sophomores led the Husky offense, shortstop Alizah Mayagoitia (Ramona Convent HS) singled three times (RBI), first baseman Ashley Day belted a home run and singled (three RBIs), winning pitcher Byanka Diosdado (Schurr HS) doubled (RBI) and catcher Joslyn Macias (Whittier HS) doubled (RBI).
Freshman Alexis Lozaro (Schurr HS) singled twice for the Huskies. Third baseman Alyssa Rodriguez led the Owls offense with two hits, one a double.
For the second straight year, ELAC lost at ranked Cerritos in the first round of South Coast Conferenced play and to followed with a win at home in the second round of SCC play.
In the ELAC win yesterday, the Falcons scored in the first inning from three singles and led 1-0. ELAC followed with runs in four consecutive innings.
In the bottom of the third, the Huskies powered two hits. Macias singled to center field and third baseman Griselda Vasquez (Bell HS) singled to left field. ELAC center fielder Sidney Alaniz (El Rancho HS) and Mayagoitia reached base on Falcon throwing errors. ELAC scored three runs.
In the bottom of the fourth, ELAC added three more runs off four hits and a walk. Diosdado walked, freshman Maddie Roberts singled to left field, left fielder Sujey Zamudio (Bell HS) bunted, Lozaro singled to left field and Macias singled to center field. ELAC led 6-1.
The Huskies hot hitting continued, well enough for two runs each in the fifth and sixth innings. Cerritos scored two runs each in the sixth and seven innings.
ELAC’s 10 runs were the most against Cerritos (19-7, 8-3) this season. Diosdado, who pitched 5.1 innings, recorded the win.
Agasint Harbor, the Huskies took a 3-1 lead after the first inning. After three innings, Harbor led 5-3. ELAC rallied and tied the game in the fourth inning. The Huskies scored a six-run blast in the fifth inning. The comeback rally gave ELAC an 11-5 win and snapped Harbor’s three-game win streak.
Vasquez led the Husky offense against Harbor with a home run, a single and with four RBIs. Lozaro tripled and singled, Mayagoitia doubled and singled and Macias singled twice. Vasquez (3-3) was the winning pitcher.
ELAC hosts two games next week beginning with a South Coast Conference game against El Camino-Compton Center on Tuesday, March 29 at 3 p.m. The Huskies host Mt. San Jacinto College on Friday, April 1 at 11 a.m.
story submitted by Tadzio Garcia