Following a victory against Sacramento City College on Friday, the Cabrillo Seahawks softball team lost its last two games in the best-of-three series on Sunday, May 5, and was eliminated from the playoffs. The Seahawks lost the first game 5-3 and the second game 10-2.
Alicia Mendez, the winning pitcher for Cabrillo in Game 1, started Game 2.
After both teams scored once in the first inning,, the game remained scoreless until the fifth when Sacramento slugged its way to three runs and a 4-1 lead. Sacramento scored once in the sixth.
In the seventh, Cabrillo rallied for two runs and had the bases loaded with one out. But the Seahawks failed to advance any runners and lost 5-3, forcing a third game.
In the deciding game, Sacramento led 2-1 after the first and continued to build its lead.
Elizabeth Baucum, who gave up Cabrillo’s final run as a reliever in Game 1, got the complete-game victory in Game 3.
Cabrillo brought back Mendez in the top of the third, relieving Ada Neu, but neither found a way to stop to Sacramento’s scoring.
Cabrillo scored once in the third and was shut out by the Cougars defense for the rest of the game, ending Cabrillo’s season in the sixth because of the eight-run lead rule with a final score on 10-2.
Mendez, who threw 245 pitches in the three games, also had five hits and three RBIs.
“It was like a family,” she said. “We fought together. I would have fought for them any day of the week.”
This ends an era of Cabrillo softball, as most of the team is sophomores. Only three players are expected to return: Bella Fromel, Brooklyn Llamas and Alyssa Herrera. Sophomore Madia Tara, who remained a red shirt this year, is also a possible returner. The Seahawks finished the season 29-12.
