The Cabrillo College Seahawks softball team kept its hot streak alive, winning 5-4 in its first playoff game against Sacramento City College at home on Friday.
Cabrillo has won 19 of its last 21 games. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is at 2 p.m., Saturday once again at Cabrillo. If Sacramento wins, the third game will be part of a doubleheader.
Cabrillo got on the board early with a solid base running to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning, thanks to Abreanna Alba’s single, which drove in Kasydi Bennett.
Sacramento’s offense tested Cabrillo’s defense in the top of the second. Jasmine Montes doubled in two runners for a 2-1 lead. A pair of errors only made things worse. The Seahawks found themselves down 4-1 after a pair of Sacramento hits.
Cabrillo chipped away at its deficit in the bottom of the third, scoring a run to make it 4-2, then took the lead with a big inning in the fourth. A sacrifice bunt by Aaliyah Gomez put a runner on second. Sacramento then pulled starting pitcher Ava Seguin for Elizabeth Baucum.
Cabrillo third baseman Kasydi Bennett, outfielder Bella Fromel, outfielder Abreanna Alba and pitcher Alicia Mendez each got hits off Baucum, helping Cabrillo retake the lead 5-4.
The Seahawks’ defense halted any opportunity for a comeback in the fifth. Catcher Maya Guerero made a diving catch in foul territory for the first out, and Sacramento failed to score.
Cabrillo’s defense cleaned up in the top of the seventh. Center fielder Alba fielded a ball that bounced in center field and forced a runner at second. Another popup catch for Alba put the game on the line for Sacramento with two outs. Pitcher Mendez caught a line drive for the third out to secure the win.
Seahawks head coach Kristy Rosinger relied on Mendez (103 pitches) to pitch a complete game.
“Alicia will probably get the start again,” in Game 2, Rosinger said.
Mendez helped her cause with two hits and an RBI. Alba had two RBIs and two hits. Bella Fromel had three hits; Bennett and Ada Neu had two hits each.
If the Seahawks win the series, they advance to Super Regionals. Pending rain on Saturday, the game could get pushed back to 10 a.m. on Sunday.
