Eagles Season Comes to an End at OCC

The MSJC softball team ran into some solid pitching from top seeded Orange Coast Friday and Saturday as they were swept two games to none in a 3C2A Regional playoff series.

The Eagles lost Friday in game one 9-1 in six innings. The game was competitive through the first three and a half innings with the Pirates holding a 2-0 lead. OCC then erupted for five runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the game out of reach. MSJC scored their lone run of the game in the top of the fifth when Brooke Schaffer, the Inland Empire Athletic Conference Player of the Year, drove in Annalie Castanon with an RBI single.

MSJC regrouped for Saturday's game two and played very well but came out on the short end of a 2-1 extra inning contest. Ellianna Pasley, IEAC Pitcher of the Year, threw a great game in the circle allowing just two runs on five hits in eight innings of work. The Pirates scored the first run of the game in the top of the fifth to take the lead. MSJC, playing as the home team, tied it up in the bottom of the sixth when Natalie Juarez singled to right field scoring Trinity Barnes. Both teams failed to score in the seventh, pushing the game into extras. OCC went ahead in the top of the eighth when Kayla Vargas hit a solo homerun. In the bottom of the inning the Eagles loaded the bases with two outs but could not push across the tying run.

The Eagles end their highly successful season with a record of 30-12, they were champions of the IEAC and were making their first playoff appearance since 2009. OCC improved to 30-7 and advanced to the Super Regional where they will host Fullerton College.