The #9 seeded Pasadena City College softball team saw its 2019 season end in the same spot it did last year--at Santiago Canyon College. The Lancers were swept by the #8 Hawks, losing 4-2 and 8-3, on May 3-4 in the SoCal Regional First Round, best-of-3 games series.
The Lancers finished the season at 26-16 overall as head coach Monica Tantlinger has directed three straight 25-win (or more) seasons, all resulting in postseason appearances. PCC also has won 20 or more games in each of the last five seasons under Tantlinger's leadership.
In the series opener, PCC put the potential tying runs on second and third but with two outs in the top of the seventh inning before shortstop Kaylee Medrano lined a shot right at the centerfielder for the final out. First baseman Valley Febles batted 2-for-3 while catcher Jennie Chacon was 1-for-3 with a RBI single in the fourth. Third baseman Samantha Diaz also was 1-for-3 with a double and one RBI. Britney Lopez pitched well in relief of starter Austyn Helmuth with four innings of 2-hit, shutout ball and three Ks. Santiago Canyon had taken a 4-0 lead through two innings.
In game 2, Febles was a part of all three PCC runs as she singled and a Santiago Canyon error on the play plated two. She later scored on a RBI single by Medrano. The sophomore Lopez again did a solid job in relief with three scoreless innings. In 15-2/3 playoff innings of work over the last two years, Lopez allowed only three earned runs v. the Hawks.
Chacon was the team's batting leader with a .375 average while Diaz (.357) led the team in hits (45), runs scored (37), tied for first in doubles (13), and led the squad in stolen bases with 28. Medrano batted .370 and led PCC in RBI (32), home runs (3), walks (22), on-base percentage (.511) and slugging percentage (.560). Helmuth led the team in pitching wins with 11, innings pitched (126-2/3, 2.61 ERA), complete games (11) and appeared in 30 of the team's 42 games. Vivian Little led the team in ERA with a 2.44 mark in 60-2/3 innings. Lopez was the strikeout leader with 48 in 66-2/3 innings.
Medrano, Lopez, leftfielder Nathalia Velasquez (.316, 13 doubles, 29 RBI overall), first baseman Amanda Flores (pinch single in game 1 of playoffs) and outfielders Alise Allen and Leilani Montanez all lettered in two seasons for the Lancers in playing their final games for PCC.