Last year, Britney Lopez twirled the Pasadena City College softball team's first no-hitter in 13 years in a 7-inning shutout over Saddleback. With an 0-2 record in her first five starts this season, the sophomore figured there was one sure-fire way to pick up her first 2019 win--pitch another no-hitter. She did just that on Tuesday as she only had to throw five innings to no-hit Los Angeles Harbor in a 9-0 Lancers victory at Robinson Park.
Lopez (1-2 this season) allowed two walks and struck out three. The closest thing to a Harbor hit came in the first inning when Alaysia Pagaling lined a shot toward deep right field that was flagged down by Olivia Nanez, who made the running catch near the fence. She capped her shutout and no-hitter by striking out Kimberly Sianez looking for the final out in the fifth.
See Nanez catch at our Twitter link: @PCCAthletics, link below
https://twitter.com/PCCAthletics/status/1103316768624324614
PCC's offense made things easy for Lopez by scoring four runs in the first inning, spurred by a 2-run line double by centerfielder Gabi Perez, and four more in the third. Second baseman Danielle Ruiz roped a RBI triple in the fourth for the team's ninth run. Perez, Ruiz and third baseman Samantha Diaz each batted 2-for-3. Perez, Ruiz and leftfielder Nathalia Velasquez (1-for-2, double) each drove in two runs. Reserve designated player Alise Allen was 1-for-1 with two stolen bases.
Pasadena snapped a 2-game losing streak and improved to 9-6 overall and 6-3 in South Coast Conference play. It's the third time in SCC play that PCC won by the 8-run mercy rule after five innings.
Coach Monica Tantlinger's Lancers are scheduled to host Long Beach City College on Thursday, March 7 in a 2:30 p.m. (weather permitting). PCC is currently No. 10 in state RPI and has a strong 5-1 record on its off-campus home diamond.