While most students were enjoying their spring break, the Cosumnes River College Hawks played the American River College Beavers in women’s softball March 26.
Hawks’ sophomore pitcher and first baseman Allison Barsetti started the game and had trouble finding the strike zone, walking the first few players, hitting one of them and loading the bases for ARC.
Barsetti was able to find her stride and battled her way through the first inning to keep ARC to three runs. CRC answered back with six of their own in the first inning.
The Hawks changed pitchers in the second inning to sophomore outfielder and pitcher Ariel Corona after the Beavers scored another run. Next at bat was sophomore infielder/outfielder Brandi Williams who brought in two more runs for ARC.
ARC was able to hold CRC at six with only four players going to bat during the second inning, tying the game at six.
The third inning brought another change to the mound as freshman pitcher and outfielder Jessica Venturelli came in and held the Beavers to just one more run despite the bases being loaded for three at bats.
The bottom of the third was sophomore infielder Alissa Greenhaw’s moment when she smashed the ball over the fence in left center field, bringing freshman utility player Brittney Jones in and again giving CRC the lead at 8-7.
“I hit a bomb, that was nice,” Greenhaw said.
The Beavers answered back with one run in the fourth inning despite again having the bases loaded, tying the game at eight.
The Hawks worked together to bring in Barsetti and sophomore pitcher and utility player Gabrielle Magana, bringing the game back into their favor at 10-8.
In the fifth inning ARC stole a few bases and freshman outfielder Gisselle Jimenez hit her own home run, bringing in Michelle Tarlandoukht and tying the game again.
After a few more at bats CRC changed up their pitcher for the fourth time to Jones who finished out the game.
“Our pitchers really held it down,” Greenhaw said. “We’ve also really never had that many pitchers throw in one game so that was a little different.”
After the Beavers tacked on another run in the top of the inning, CRC found themselves down by one at the bottom of the fifth.
Magana hit the ball to right field and brought home Greenhaw to tie the game at 11.
The Beavers managed to load the bases twice in the sixth inning, however the Hawks were able to hold them to only one run.
When CRC took the plate they played small-ball with sophomore outfielder Jannelle Moran-Rowan bunting the ball advancing sophomore catcher Lauren Szoboscan to second.
Jones took the plate and smacked the ball hard to right field, bringing Moran-Rowan and Szoboscan home to retake the lead at 13-12.
“I played excellent, I did what I was supposed to do,” Jones said. “I got the shot to right and scored the two runners in.”
With Jones maintaining control on the mound the seventh inning was short and sweet as she struck out all three Beavers that came to bat.
“We hit the ball really well and at the end Brittney bared down, she did a great job staying focused in there,” said CRC head coach Kristy Schroeder. “I was happy to see her take control of the situation and close it down.”