COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Fullerton Loses; Cypress Wins Conference Title

Fullerton College, which had a one-game lead in the Orange Empire Conference softball race with two left, let the title slip away Monday in a 4-1 loss to Rancho Santiago in Santa Ana.

Fullerton was tied with Cypress but the Chargers beat Riverside, 4-0, to win their third title in four years under Coach Brad Pickler.

Fullerton lost its one-game lead Friday by losing to Saddleback, 1-0.

Rancho Santiago (20-18, 13-8 in conference) scored three runs, two unearned, in the first inning.

Amy Lewis had a run-batted-in single for the first run. The Dons had the bases loaded and two outs when Traci Ellery hit a grounder to pitcher Angie Guerrero. But first baseman Alicia Robles couldn’t handle the throw, allowing two runs to score.

Guerrero had an RBI single in the fourth but Rancho Santiago came back with a run in the sixth when Lewis singled, stole second and third and scored on a groundout by Ellery.

Fullerton (31-12, 15-6) had two on and one out in the seventh but starter Jamie Parker got a flyout and a groundout to end the game.