SMCC Softball Runs Winning Streak to 15 with Wins over Arizona Christian, Chandler-Gilbert CC

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College softball team (27-12, 19-7 ACCAC) extended its winning streak to 15 straight games with an 11-0, five-inning victory at Arizona Christian University on Mar. 31 and an ACCAC doubleheader sweep of Chandler-Gilbert CC on Apr. 1., at the SMCC Softball Field. Sophomore Elise Saucedo finished 3 for 3 with two doubles, two runs, and an RBI, and freshmen Eva Harrison and Jerzey Jarvis added two RBIs to lead the Cougars against the Firestorm. The next day, the Cougars swept the Coyotes 10-2 (5 innings) and 9-1 (5 innings) behind contributions from a host of players, including sophomores Nadia Rascon, who recorded her 100th career hit, and Alyssa Jemio, who tossed a complete game and smacked a home run. 

Arizona Christian Recap

The Cougars took a break from conference play to play the Firestorm and walked away with an 11-0, five-inning victory. SMCC scored eight runs in the first and three in the third. 

Saucedo had an RBI double and a single in the first, a walk in the third, and a double in the fifth in the victory. Harison was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a run, and Jarvis went 1 for 1 with two RBIs, a stolen base, a sacrifice fly, and a run. 

Rascon had the team's third double and went 1 for 2 with two RBIs, a run, and a walk, and sophomore Dionna Leanio was 1 for 2 with two runs, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. 

Freshman Kayle James improved to 2-1 on the season with two innings of relief work with a strikeout. Freshman Rebekah Mendoza started the game for SMCC and went two innings with two strikeouts, and fellow rookie Nuvia Urquiza tossed a seamless fifth inning. 

Chandler-Gilbert CC Game One Recap

The offense produced 14 hits and 10 runs over five frames to lead SMCC to a 10-2, five-inning victory in game one of the doubleheader against the Coyotes. The Cougars scored three runs in the second, four in the third, two in the fourth, and Rascon hit a walk-off RBI double to score Leanio to end the game in the fifth. 

Trailing 1-0 in the second, sophomore Sabrina Erran laced a one-out single and moved to third on a single from Saucedo, who took second on an error. Jarvis gave SMCC the lead with a two-run single and moved to second on the throw. She later stole third and scored on a wild pitch. 

Jemio, sophomore Sadie Su'a, and freshman Tazia Blake singled to load the bases in the third. Saucedo brought in Su'a with a one-out RBI single, Leanio added a two-out RBi single, and sophomore Jada Montoya made it 7-1 with a two-out, two-run single. 

The fourth inning saw SMCC pull ahead 9-2 after an RBI double from Blake and an RBI from Erran. In the fifth, Leanio singled with one out and scored on Rascon's double to end the contest. 

Five Cougars had two hits in the victory: Leanio, Montoya, Jemio, Blake, and Saucedo. Jarvis and Montoya had two RBIs apiece, and Erran, Saucedo, and Jarvis all scored twice. 

Jemio improved to 7-3 on the season with five innings of work. She allowed two hits, two earned runs, and one walk to go with two strikeouts. 

Chandler-Gilbert CC Game Two Recap

The Cougars continued to roll in game two, totaling nine runs and eight hits in four innings. SMCC scored twice in the first, five times in the third, and two in the fourth. 

Leanio walked and moved to third on a pair of steals to start the first. She scored on an RBI groundout from Montoya, and SMCC doubled its lead on an RBI groundout from Su'a, which scored Rascon. 

In the third, Leanio and Montoya scored on a two-run double from Rascon. The Cougars loaded the bases, and a pitch hit Erran to force in a run, and sophomore Michelle Balcazar and Jarvis produced RBI singles to put SMCC ahead 7-1. 

Jemio hit a two-run home run, her fourth of the year, in the fourth that scored Leanio. Both had two hits in the victory, Leanio scoring three times and Jemio scoring once. 

Rascon's double in the third was her 100th career hit as a Cougar. She leads SMCC with 19 doubles and 46 RBIs. 

Su'a improved to 8-2 on the season with four innings of work in the circle. She allowed three hits, one unearned run, and one walk to go with five strikeouts. James tossed a quiet fifth inning to seal the victory.