After starting the season 3-3, the Moorpark College softball team is heading into the conference schedule confident and strong.
Conference play started this past Tuesday, Feb. 21 against LA Pierce at home. Scoring 10 runs in the first inning, eight runs in the second and three runs in the fourth, Moorpark College received their fourth win of the season and their first conference win with a final score of 21-0.
“I feel very confident going into conference, we have a great team this year and coming off of a win like this it’s really exciting,” freshman shortstop and Athlete of the Month, Rachel Hurtado said.
Sophomore pitcher Kylee Beccari threw a perfect game with 10 strike outs and hit three for four at the plate.
The game ended in five innings following the mercy rule, meaning if the home team has more then a 15-run lead after five innings then the game is over.
“I feel like we’re going to step up a lot in conference this year,” said freshman first baseman Brianna Simmons. “Right now we’re stepping up every game and getting better and better.”
Friday, Feb. 22 came another home game, this time against Antelope Valley College. This game was originally scheduled for Feb. 12, but it was postponed due to rain.
The Raiders were scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman second baseman Monica Munoz doubled to start the inning.
Freshman outfielder Jayln Barnett got on base with an error by the left fielder, which allowed Munoz to score. Hurtado hit a double allowing Barnett to score giving the Raiders a little cushion with a 2-1 lead.
Antelope Valley College came back to tie the game 2-2, pushing the game into extra innings.
In the bottom of the 10th, freshman infielder Dee Villa came up to hit with Hurtado waiting on third base. With two outs, Villa was able to hit a ground ball allowing Hurtado to score the winning run, winning the game 3-2.
“As a team, the camaraderie is there this year,” said head coach Ginny Mitchell. “The girls work together really well.”
The Raiders ended a four-game home stand with a double header on Feb. 23 against the Porterville Pirates.
In the first game, the Raiders took an early lead thanks to a two-run homer from Baccari, who also plays first base. The game ended with a 10-4 win for the Raiders. This was the team’s sixth win in a row after starting out the season 0-3.
Having played four games in three days, the Raiders’ fatigue caught up to them in game two of the double header.
Simmons hit a solo home run at the bottom of the second inning, but that was all the offense the team was able to put on the board as they lost the game 11-1.
In this four-game stretch, the Raiders scored a total of 35 runs, 31 RBIs, and two home runs. They now stand at 6-4 for the season.
Their next home game is a double header on Saturday, March 2 vs. Golden West College at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
