Snowman leads Gauchos to mercy of Canyons

The Saddleback softball team scored eight runs in the second inning in beating College of the Canyons, 14-5, in five innings in the opening game of the Southern California playoffs.  The Gauchos pounded out 14 hits and took advantage of five Cougar errors in taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

Saddleback batted around in the second inning off Canyons ace Kimmie Lockhart, sending a message that they didn't just make the trip to Valencia for two and a barbeque.  After Christina Pantages walked to lead off the inning, Sarah DiTommaso homered to give the Gauchos a 2-0 lead.  Two batters later, Saddleback started a run of six consecutive batters reaching base to blow the game open.  Kelsey Hodge singled followed by an Ariel Carrillo double and a double by Tori Duquette to open up a 4-0 lead.  After a McRae Cayton walk, Sydney Abounassar then singled to left field and an error by the Cougars on the throw allowed another run to score.  Tiffany McCracken then singled home another run before Canyons finally recorded the second out of the inning.  McCracken then kept the pressure on by stealing second base and an error on the second baseman on the throw led to another Gaucho run.  DiTommaso then doubled to left field for the final run of the inning and an 8-0 lead. 

Saddleback would add two more runs in the third inning and one more in the fourth on a home run by Pantages in building up an 11-4 lead.  The Gauchos were not done, scoring three more times in the fifth inning, as Pantages (pictured) once again delivered a two-out double to right-center field to up the lead to 14-4.  Canyons scored once in the fifth, but was unable to extend the game when Abounassar came on in relief to get the final two outs of the game.

The 14 runs were the most scored by Saddleback since tallying 15 against East Los Angeles on March 24. 

Saddleback belted out 14 hits and took advantage of five costly errors in taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.  The Gauchos (23-14) and Cougars (30-9-2) will play game two tomorrow at 12:00 PM, with a game three to follow, if necessary.