The Cosumnes River softball team won the first game of a doubleheader 9-5 versus Sierra College on Saturday, but lost 9-6 during the second game

Pitcher Brittany Baroni started off the second game strong, pitching until the top of the third inning. With two players on base, Sierra College infielder Mikea Lewis was up to bat. Baroni hit her to load the bases.

Sierra scored twice after Cecilia Rivera dropped a ball in right field. The score was 2-0 when Head Coach Kristy Schroeder put in pitcher Ashleigh Berg.

The bases were loaded after Berg walked Sierra College outfielder Mackenzie Lockhart. With two outs, Sierra catcher Nova Siegel hit the ball hard, allowing all three players to score, bringing the score to 5-0 in the top of the third.

In the bottom of the third, Rivera cracked the ball to right field and was safe at first. Right after, shortstop Miranda Rodriguez made the ball soar over the left fielder’s head and was safe at first while Rivera moved to third base.

Catcher Courtney Beatty stepped up to the plate and cracked the ball hard into centerfield allowing Rivera and Rodriguez to score. This brought the score 5-2 with one out, and Beatty took second base.

In the top of the fourth inning, Sierra outfielder McKenna Anderson attempted to steal second base but was tagged by Rodriguez; the head coach for Sierra asked the umpires for help before they declared the player out.

In the top of the fifth, Berg gave up two runs, including a passed ball for a Sierra run, increasing the score to 8-2. Schroeder called time with two outs and brought in pitcher Chelsea Martinez, who finished the game.

“I like closing the games, and I know my team had my back no matter how I pitched,” said Martinez. “It’s more pressure, but it’s more fun [and] it’s more intense.”

With the help of Beatty, the Hawks ended the inning quickly. The Hawks managed to get the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning, and left fielder Lindsay Lambert made a line drive allowing Beatty to score, bringing the score to 8-3.

The bases were still loaded when designated hitter Alex Scardina walked, which allowed Martinez to score and brought the score to 8-4.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Hawks allowed Sierra to score once more before ending the inning.

Schroeder said that the pitcher, defense and baserunning needed to improve during the second game of the doubleheader.

“I think that’s where we kinda fell short a little, it’s all those three in a combination,” said Schroeder. “It’s hard to give up that many runs and come back and win, which we almost did because we have the bats to do it.”

As the bottom of the sixth started, the score was 9-4. Beatty and Martinez both scored before the inning ended, bringing the final score to 9-6.

“We were hitting really well in the first game, so obviously we wanted to string that into the second game,” said Beatty. “Also our energy in the dugout has been up recently. I guess we need to bring that more into the second game.”

As for now, the team is taking it pitch by pitch and hoping to get enough wins to make it to playoffs and win the conference title, said Schroeder.

She added that she believes the Hawks are “capable of beating any team in the state” because they can hit the ball as well as anybody when given the chance.

The next home game is against Modesto on Tuesday April 11 at 3 p.m.