Esparza’s Big Day Carries Warriors Past Rio Hondo

TORRANCE, Calif. --- Freshman Emily Esparza had a big day at the plate as El Camino College downed Rio Hondo 4-1 in a South Coast Conference game on Tuesday afternoon at the ECC Softball Field.

Esparza was the only Warriors (19-14, 8-9) player to record multiple hits and drove in all of the team's runs. She finished 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI.

Meanwhile, Skylar Sanchez took care of business in the circle as she tossed a complete game and allowed just one run on six hits. She walked one and struck out four as she recorded her eighth win of the year.

For the Roadrunners, pitcher Clarissa Evangelista took the loss despite tossing a complete game. She allowed four runs, only two earned, on six hits with one walk and one strikeout.

The Warriors found themselves trailing right away as the Roadrunners scored a run thanks to a leadoff double by Leiana Rodriguez, a sacrifice bunt by Angelina Aldrete and a sacrifice fly from Nadia Landeros, putting ECC in an early 1-0 hole.

In the second inning, the Warriors flipped things around as Destiny Ostorga and Viviana Tamayo each reached base to leadoff the inning. Sanchez sacrifice the runners over and then Esparza smoked a single off Evangelista and through the middle of the infield to score both runners and give the Warriors a 2-1 lead.

In the fourth, Esparza reached on an error at short but managed to drive in Sanchez in the process after the pitcher hit a one-out triple, making it 3-1.

The Warriors capped the scoring in the sixth as Esparza smashed a double to right-center with Sanchez again on base at first. An error in right field allowed Sanchez to advance from third to home and put the Warriors ahead 4-1.

Sanchez handled the rest in the circle as she did not allow a runner past second base after the first inning.

The Warriors will now travel to take on Cerritos on Thursday afternoon for a 3 p.m. first pitch.