Matta Hits the Century Mark as No. 8 SMCC Softball Sweeps Gateway CC

PHOENIX ---

The No. 8 South Mountain Community College softball team (30-7, 24-4 ACCAC) swept an ACCAC doubleheader from Gateway CC 4-1 and 22-1 (5 innings) on Mar. 28 at Cougar Diamond. Playing as the visiting team on their home field, the Cougars blasted six home runs over the two games as head coach Brittney Matta won her 100th career game at the helm of the Cougars. 

Matta is in her fourth season as the SMCC head coach. She helped the Cougars return from the Covid-19 break by qualifying for the postseason in 2021 and 2022. The team has had a First Team All-American after each of the past two seasons, and the 2021 team's .675 winning percentage (27-13) is the best in school history. The team has also tied the school record with 25 conference wins in the past two seasons. 

Game One Recap

Trailing 1-0 at the start of the fourth inning, sophomore Anisa Reynolds blasted a two-run home run that scored freshman Halle Hogan and gave SMCC a 2-1 advantage. Hogan added an RBI double in the fifth to score freshman Mia Franco and freshman Sarah Potter hit a solo home run in the sixth to give SMCC an insurance run. 

Potter finished 2-for-2, Franco added two hits, and the home run was Reynolds' 18th of the season.

In the circle, freshman Mykenzie Flores improve to 6-2 with a complete-game performance. She allowed one hit and an unearned run with four strikeouts in seven innings. 

Game Two Recap

SMCC led 5-0 after two innings and scored eight in the fourth and nine in the fifth to post the 22-1, five-inning victory. Freshman Iliana Munoz hit for the cycle in the victory, finishing 4-for-4 with four runs, four RBIs, a double, a triple and a home run. 

Sophomores Jessica Gordon and Reynolds and freshman Brianna Garcia also went deep in the win. Gordon went 1-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs and a walk, while Reynolds blasted her 19th home run and finished 1-for-4 with two runs, three RBIs and a walk. 

Garcia hit her team-leading 21st home run of the season and finished 1-for-4 with three runs, two RBIs, a stolen base and a walk. Sophomore Makaiya Gomez went 4-for-4 with three runs, four RBIs, a walk, and two stolen bases. 

Hogan hit her second double of the day and went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs, while Potter continued her perfect day at the plate with a 3-for-3 performance. She scored three times and walked once. Freshman Vanessa Philpot came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. 

Freshman Adenira Marquez threw a three-hit complete game to improve to 4-1 on the season. She allowed one earned run and walked one Gecko.