Softball Surges Past Southwestern in Season Opener

Softball Surges Past Southwestern in Season Opener

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College opened the 2023 season with an impressive 10-2 run-rule victory over visiting Southwestern in six innings on Friday afternoon at the ECC Softball Field.

The Warriors (1-0) scored 10 times and hammered out 13 hits in the last four innings of play to score the win over the Jaguars (0-1).

The offense saw 11 different players record a hit  with Leesa Parral and Destiny Ostorga with two hits apiece. Parral drove in three runs as did newcomer Malia Martin.

Ostorga would pick up the victory in the circle after tossing four innings an allowing two runs on five hits with one strikeout.

Both offenses were quiet in the first two innings as the teams combined for just one base runner. But the third inning opened the scoring with the Jaguars striking first on a two-out RBI double by Haley Oceguera with two runners on to score the first run of the game. Ostorga would hold the Jaguars to one run as she got Jordyn Beatty to foul out to end the two-out rally.

The Warriors then responded with a flurry, scoring four times in the inning. Ostorga, Haile Torres and Kayla Inzuna all reached on hits to open the inning and load the bases for Martin. The Warriors third baseman promptly ripped a triple to right-center field over both Jaguars defenders to clear the bases and make it a 3-1 lead for ECC. Parral followed with a single to center to plate Martin and the Warriors took a 4-1 lead after three innings.

They would never look back as they added a three-spot in the fourth and then, with the score 8-2 in the sixth, Julianna Vasquez put an end to the day's proceedings as she hammered a two-run double to left-center field that scored Renee Amador and Madilyn Radeke for the walk-off, run-rule victory.

The Warriors are back in action on Saturday afternoon with their first road contest of the season as they take on Santa Ana with first pitch set for noon.