SMC softball loses 25-15 at home against Los Angeles Valley College.
Santa Monica College’s softball team fell in a high-scoring game to Los Angeles Valley College at home on Thursday evening.
SMC’s non-conference game against LAVC ended in a 25-15 loss after the Corsairs held a small lead at the end of the fourth inning.
SMC had back-and-forth scoring well into the second inning, with Danaly Santos, Meridian Cordova, Mandi Yamada and Yoselin Hernandez and LAVC’s Leilani Gurrola, Priscilla Lopez, Haylie Lopez and Haley Wolfson all scoring across the first two innings to bring the score to 4-4 near the end of the second.
Soon after, Corsairs’ center fielder Jodi Shuler hit deep into center field for a bases-loaded grand slam to bring the score to 8-4.
At the top of the third, LAVC evened the score as multiple of their runners crossed the plate. SMC responded as Dayanara Velazquez, Alexa Escobar, Santos and Hernandez all scored to close out the third inning with a lead of 4 points 12-8.
Come the fourth inning, both SMC and LAVC evened the score out again to a comfy 15-13, SMC in the lead aided by 2 Runs Batted In (RBIs) from third baseman Katrina Olmedo.
SMC head coach Christine Druckman said a strong defense and steady improvement remain the focus for early in the season. She noted that Olmedo, as well as catcher Meredian Cordova, were key players to look out for in the game.
“My catcher has been swinging the bat really well at practice, and my third baseman as well,” Druckman said. “My outfielders are on fire. Nothing’s getting through them. They’ve just been catching everything, chasing everything down. I think that, and keeping our pitching on point, will be a really big strength for us.”
Through the fourth and fifth innings, LAVC took control of the lead, scoring 12 runs across the two innings. Multiple runs were scored in the last inning, with Monarch’s Briana Fierro recording two RBIs, and Tarryn Macias hit deep into left field for three RBIs, helping seal the 25-15 win.
After a season-opening loss to Rio Hondo and two postponed games due to rain, Druckman said the lack of early-season play put SMC slightly behind.
“We wished we had a few more games under our belt before we played this team because we’re normally pretty well matched with L.A. Valley,” she said. “Unfortunately, they’ve already got a bunch of games ahead of us. So we’re a bit of the underdog, but it is what it is. We’re moving forward.”
On the opposing side, LAVC associate head coach Robert Marcial said his team’s early experience helped them stay composed.
“I think we’re already 18 games in — today’s game 19,” Marcial said. “Just the experience helps. We have 11 girls, but five of them are freshmen, so getting their feet wet definitely helps us out because we’ve kind of been there, done that.”
The Corsairs face the Monarchs again on Tuesday, March 3, at LAVC, before returning home to play Ventura college in their first conference game on Thursday, March 5.