In one of the more well-played games by two teams this season on Tuesday at Robinson Park, the Pasadena City College softball team saw a 3-0 lead evaporate on one swing. But PCC grabbed the last hurrah on Amanda Flores' bases-loaded, walk-off single to left in the seventh inning that gave the Lancers a 4-3 win over state No. 10-ranked El Camino.
Unranked PCC is 13-9 overall while El Camino, the first-place team currently in the South Coast Conference South Division, dropped to 15-6. The Lancers are on a 5-game winning streak.
Coach Monica Tantlinger's Lancers jumped ahead 3-0 after five innings on fourth-inning sacrifice fly by first baseman Flores and then a 2-RBI double by rightfielder Nat Velasquez, who batted 3-for-4 with three line-drive hits. The Warriors responded in the sixth when rightfielder Kassidy Robinson belted a 3-run blast over the left-center field fence to tie the score.
PCC shortstop Kaylee Medrano was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Her older sister and catcher Jeneve Medrano successfully put down her second sacrifice bunt of the game to move Kaylee to second base. El Camino intentionally walked leftfielder Briana Hernandez (1-for-2, two walks), and the hot-hitting third baseman Angelica Lopez followed with a line single to load the bases. After a pop up hit by Velasquez, Flores became the hero with her single to left that plated Kaylee Medrano for the winning run.
Angel Wintercorn moved to 7-3 in the circle with seven strong innings, allowing eight hits, and striking out five. The sophomore ace allowed the first three runners to reach base to open the game but wiggled out of the jam with three straight outs, including a strikeout of Robinson.
Solid defense was played by both teams with El Camino's Robinson making a circus shoestring catch that robbed designated player Jasmine Cabrera of a bases-loaded hit and ended the first inning. In the third inning, PCC second baseman Alex Howard speared a liner to her right that took away a hit by Annie Adamos. In the fifth, ECC catcher Ashley Machado made a big play as she was able to tag out Kaylee Medrano at home plate after a pitch bounced past her and hit the back padding. Finally in the sixth, Lopez made a spectacular catch in foul territory, running into the fence near third base. She added three plays where she stayed in front of scorching liners to record outs.
El Camino was No. 4 in RPI so the win allowed the Lancers to move up to No. 11 on that all-important, SoCal RPI rating which influences playoff seedings in the postseason. PCC was to play at Cerritos College Wednesday, Mar. 21 weather permitting.