Warriors Win Streak Snapped in Thriller against Orange Coast

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College suffered a 7-6 non-conference loss to visiting Orange Coast on Thursday afternoon at the ECC Softball Field.

The Warriors (5-3) and Orange Coast (4-1) entered Thursday's game as two of the hottest teams in Southern California with ECC riding a five-game winning streak while the Pirates were winners of three straight, all over South Coast Conference opponents (Cerritos, Mt. San Antonio, Long Beach).

It was OCC's winning streak that survived the day in a thrilling encounter that saw the two teams go back-and-forth with the game-tying run left on base in the bottom of the seventh inning for the Warriors.

It was a balanced offensive attack on both sides as 11 hitters drove in a run in the game with 15 batters tallying at least one hit on the day.

For the Warriors, Malia Martin went 2-for-4 with a run scored and one RBI while Emily Esparza also went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and one RBI.

Lexia Martinez and McKenzie Koshi led the Pirates offensively with two hits and a run scored apiece. Angela Whitmer tossed a complete game, allowing six runs on 10 hits with four walks and two strikeouts to get her third win in the circle.

The two teams went right at each other from the start as the Pirates went ahead 1-0 in the first inning on an error that allowed Jasmyn Morales to score with two outs.

But the Warriors recovered and posted three runs in their half of the first as Cheyenne Navarro tripled in Emma Garcia, who led off the frame with a walk. Martin then singled to drive in Navarro and Esparza doubled to plate Martin to give ECC a 3-1 lead after one.

In the third inning, the Pirates tied things up on RBI hits from Anaiyah Yniguez and Katie Belmontes but the Warriors again answered in their half of the frame as Lilly Lewis belted an RBI triple over the right-fielder's head to score Esparza with the go-ahead run. Cerise Cervantes then had a pinch-hit single to center to score Lewis and put the Warriors back up by two, 5-3.

The fourth inning proved costly though as the Pirates opened the inning with four straight singles, two of them on bunts. Isabel McElroy's RBI single tied things up at 5-5 and then two sacrifice flies put the Pirates up 7-5.

The lead held up despite the Warriors having a couple of late chances to tie the game or take the lead.

In the sixth, Jacqueline Ordonez opened the inning by reaching on a throwing error by the third baseman. Amy Morales would pinch-run and eventually come around to score on an RBI single from Emma Garcia. Garcia would advance to second on the play and then take third on a wild pitch with Navarro following with a walk and stolen base to put the go-ahead run in scoring position.

But Whitmer got Martin to fly out to right field to end the threat in the inning.

The Warriors had one last chance as Anahi Pintado led off with a pinch-hit double to center field. But Pintado would stay on second base as Whitmer got a fly out and two strike outs to end the ECC threat and secure the win for the visitors.

The Warriors will continue their homestand on Friday afternoon as they host Cypress at 1 p.m.