Softball Drops Nail Biter at Mount San Antonio

El Camino College opened South Coast Conference action with a tough 2-1 road loss to Mount San Antonio College Tuesday night in Walnut, Calif.

The Warriors (3-2) battled the Mounties (4-1) in a low scoring affair as both teams combined for just six hits on the night.

Both pitchers were solid as Elizabeth Cortez went the distance for ECC, allowing two runs on four hits. She walked three and struck out three.

On the other side, Brianna Wheeler was nearly unhittable, surrendering one run on two hits. She walked two and struck out five to pick up her third victory of the season.

The scoreboard was blank on both sides until the sixth inning when Diamond Lewis stepped in and hit her first home run of the season with one out in the frame, giving the Warriors a 1-0 lead.

The Mounties quickly responded in their half of the sixth, though, as they loaded the bases with nobody out. Vicky Gutierrez would hit a sacrifice fly to center field to tie things up. But Cortez worked her way out of trouble, getting a pop up to second and a groundout to short to get out of the inning without any further damage.

In the seventh, the Warriors got the leadoff hitter aboard with a walk but could never advance a baserunner to second base.

But the Mounties got the leadoff batter to third base and, after Cortez got a couple of groundouts back to the circle, Ally Longtree singled to drive in the winning run and give the Mounties the victory.

The Warriors are scheduled to return to action Thursday afternoon with another SCC road game at Pasadena. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.