Offense Ignites Late as Warriors Upend Pasadena

TORRANCE, Calif. – El Camino College pounded out 14 hits and pulled out a 9-4 victory over Pasadena Thursday afternoon at the ECC Softball Field.

The game was closer than the score made it out to be as the Warriors (6-5) had a big sixth inning to expand a one-run lead into a six-run cushion and that was enough to secure the win over the Lancers (5-4).

Ashley Machado had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple with two runs scored and one RBI. Diamond Lewis went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Fiona Mutu led the team with two RBI as she went 2-for-4 at the dish.

Overall, the Warriors pounded out four extra-base hits and stole nine bases with Karla Calderon swiping three bags on her own.

Clarissa Chiquete picked up the win in the circle as she allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits in five and 2/3 innings of work. She walked two and struck out two. Maisie Weishoff closed the door, picking up her first save of the season as she allowed one run on two hits in one and 1/3 innings.

The Warriors had control of the game early, scoring four times in the first three innings while Chiquete kept the Lancers off the scoreboard through four. In the fifth, the Lancers cut into the Warriors lead as Leilani Montanez doubled to left to score Briana Hernandez. They scored another run as the Warriors committed an error on a sacrifice bunt, allowing Montanez to score from second and make it 4-2.

The big threat came in the sixth inning as the Lancers loaded the bases with two outs, putting an end to Chiquete's day in the circle. Weishoff came in and walked in a run to make it 4-3 but then got pinch-hitter Amber Ingram to fly out to center with a 3-2 count to escape the inning and help the Warriors maintain the one-run lead.

The Warriors then stepped up and put the game out of reach as Lewis led off with a double to right and advanced to third on an error. Machado smacked a double off the first-base bag to score Lewis and then the Warriors got runners at the corners after a base hit from Annie Adamos. After a stolen base, Alyssa Wing hit a sacrifice fly to right to plate Machado and make it 6-3.

De La Torre and Calderon each followed with RBI singles and then Calderon and Kassidy Robinson pulled off a double steal of second and home to cap the scoring and put the game away.

The Warriors return to action on Friday afternoon as they look to exact some revenge on Orange Coast College, a team they lost to in extra innings a week ago. First pitch is set for noon.