The softball team advanced to the next round of the playoffs after defeating Feather River College in game two on Saturday.
The Hawks eliminated FRC by shutting them out along with an offensive explosion with a final score of 8-0. The game lasted five innings rather than the typical seven in softball, due to the umpire implementing the mercy rule after the Hawks were up by eight runs by the fifth inning.
“I just tell our team, ‘If we play with great energy, we hustle in and out and we’re talking the whole time, we give ourselves a good chance to win the game,’” said head coach Kristy Schroeder.

The Hawks took control of the game from the start by scoring two runs in the first.
“I was really happy with how we approached the plate,” Schroeder said. “We hit the ball well, so it makes it a lot easier, you come out and score two runs right away and it takes pressure off of the pitcher.”
Freshman pitcher Tatiana Blas pitched all five innings and struck out six batters. Blas said her mindset coming into the game is what helped her performance.
“I kind of was trying to get one pitch at a time,” Blas said. “We’ve really been working on the mental game and not getting in my head and not trying to do too much because I know that my team has my back always.”
The second inning ended with a score of 4-0. Freshman outfielder Sarah Babby scored a run followed by Blas after tagging up on a sacrifice fly by sophomore first baseman Trinity Jordan.
The third inning was the lowest scoring inning of the game with one run scored by freshman third baseman Layla Towner hitting a solo home run that hit the scoreboard.
“I just felt great about hitting a pitch because I’ve been in a bit of a slump,” Towner said.
The final full inning of the game was the fourth inning and three more runs were scored by the Hawks, bringing the score to 8-0. Freshman utility Qyiara Martin, freshman outfielder Emily Johnson and Jordan scored the final runs of the game.
The Hawks shutout FRC in the fifth inning again, which completed the mercy rule.
With the win, the Hawks move on to the next round of the playoffs and will match up against Sierra College.
“I think we’re a really strong team and if we stick together, pump each other up, that will be good because the first time I pitched against them we battled 10 innings,” Blas said. “So I think that it’ll be a good game because we’re all hitting.”
All three games against Sierra College will be played at Sierra and will begin with game one on Friday at 2 p.m., game two on Saturday at 12 p.m. and game three on Saturday at 2 p.m. if necessary.