Softball Upends Cypress in Clash of Top Teams

El Camino College took the lead in the opening inning and never relinquished it as the Warriors scored a 12-8 victory over Cypress Saturday afternoon at Cypress College.

The Warriors (31-8) capped off a five-game week with their most impressive game of the stretch, pouncing on the Chargers (31-7) with seven runs in the first two innings. The Warriors opened up an 8-3 lead after three innings and the Chargers never got within four runs the rest of the way.

Annie Adamos starred for ECC as she went 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Karla Calderon was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Santa Iontchevska went 3-for-4 with a run scored. Alyssa Wing also recorded a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.

Ma'Kylah Smith, Maisie Weishoff and Clarissa Chiquete all spent time in the circle for ECC on Saturday with Weishoff picking up the victory after tossing four and 2/3 innings in relief.

For the Chargers, Infinity Laufou went 3-for-3 with three runs scored while Gabrielle Munoz and Kiani Puailoa each had two RBI. Hope Davalos took the loss despite giving up three runs in only two innings of work.

The Warriors opened up right away with three runs in the opening inning. Diamond Lewis led off with a double and then Calderon singled. Lewis advanced to third and then took home plate on an error at third base to put ECC up 1-0 early.

Calderon stole second and then Adamos singled her in for a 2-0 lead before an out had been recorded. Adamos would steal second as well and, with one out, Iontchevska singled to plate Adamos and put the Warriors up 3-0.

The Chargers answered in their half of the inning, scoring two times on an RBI groundout and RBI single.

But the Warriors essentially put the game away in the second, plating four runs to build a lead they would continue to pad throughout the game.

With the bases loaded and one away, Adamos stepped in and again came through with a two-run single to put ECC up 5-2. The Warriors then got some help from some shaky Cypress defense as an error at second base with two outs allowed two more runs to score and make it 7-2.

The Warriors never looked back, leading by as much as seven runs at one point and Chiquete shut down the Chargers in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the side in order to secure the victory.

The 2018 regular season will come to a close Tuesday afternoon as the Warriors host Cerritos in a South Coast Conference, South Division contest looking to record their second straight undefeated season in conference. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.