Cats keep scratching out wins

The Saddleback softball team is off to a 9-2 start after a 4-3 win at Chaffey College on Wednesday in Rancho Cucamonga.  The Bobcats scored a run in the top half of the seventh inning in breaking a tie with the Panthers.

Saddleback is off to its best start in years.  The Bobcats are 9-2 for the first time since 2020 when they were 9-2 and the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wednesday's game was a tight one as the two teams entered the seventh inning tied at 3-3.  The Bobcats broke the tie with three hits and a run before hanging on for the victory.  Jenna Juarez started the rally with a one-out single before Cristen Areopagita followed with another single to put runners at first and second base.  Two batters later Ka'ui Garcia broke the tie with a single to score Areopagita and the Cats had a 4-3 lead.

Macy Smith pitched the entire game and managed to close out the game when she got Samantha Vasquez to hit a ball back at her for an easy groundout to end the game.  Smith finished with three strikeouts and no walks while improving to 5-1 on the season.

Garcia finished 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Saddleback offense.  She is now hitting .500 through 10 games this season, leading the team with 16 hits and zero strikeouts in 35 plate appearances.

Saddleback will look to continue its winning ways on Thursday when it hosts Los Angeles Mission College.  The Bobcats and Eagles are scheduled to start at 2:00 PM at the Saddleback Softball Complex in a game that was originally scheduled to be played on February 12 but was postponed due to rain.