Cougar Softball Sweeps Doubleheader from Glendale CC

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College softball team (12-8, 7-7 ACCAC) defeated Glendale CC 11-1 (6 innings) and 11-3 (5 innings) in an ACCAC doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 23. Freshman Taylor Christensen homered in both games and sophomore Angelica Tello earned a win and a save in the circle for the Cougars. 

Game One Recap

The Cougars jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind a three-run home run from Christensen in the bottom of the first. SMCC added a run in the third, three in the fifth, and sophomore Iliana Munoz hit a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. 

Three Cougars finished with three hits in the win: Munoz, freshman Dionna Leanio, and sophomore Mia Franco. Munoz finished 3 for 4 with two runs, three RBIs, and two doubles in addition to her ninth home run of the year. 

Franco was 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI, and Leanio was 3 for 3 with three runs and a walk. Christensen went 2 for 4 with two runs, four RBIs, and a stolen base. 

Freshman Nadia Rascon had an RBI single, sophomore Mekaila Smith added a sacrifice fly and freshman Sabrina Erran singled and scored. 

Tello (2-4) started the game for SMCC and 4.0 innings to earn her second win of the year. She allowed three hits and zero walks to go with two strikeouts. Sophomore Adenira Marquez threw two innings of relief with two strikeouts, four hits, and one unearned run.

Game Two Recap 

GCC struck for a pair of unearned runs in the first inning and held that 2-0 advantage until the bottom of the third when SMCC scored four runs. After the Gauchos closed to within 4-3 in the top of the fourth, the Cougars responded with four runs in the fourth and three in the fifth to post the run-rule victory. 

Christensen and Rascon led SMCC with two hits. Christensen went 2 for 4 with two runs, three RBIs, and her fourth home run of the year. Rascon had a pair of singles. 

Leanio walked twice, scored three runs, and a stolen base, and Franco went 1 for 3 with a run, two RBIs, and a sac fly. 

The Gauchos walked Munoz in all four of her plate appearances, and she scored twice. Freshman Michelle Balcazar had a single and an RBI, and freshman Alex Paboucek was 1 for 2 with two runs scored.

Smith posted a double, and fellow sophomore Vanessa Philpot recorded a sac fly. 

Sophomore Mykenzie Flores (5-1) threw three innings and earned her fifth win of the season. She allowed three hits and two unearned runs. Tello entered in the fourth with the score 4-2 and tossed two frames with two hits, one unearned run, and a strikeout.