Orange Coast’s bats go cold

Patrick Laverty

In softball, it often takes just one or two runs to earn a victory.

But even those minimal amounts have been difficult to come by for

Orange Coast College of late.

The Pirates continued their offensive slide Friday, losing their

third straight Orange Empire Conference game and sixth straight

overall, 6-0, to visiting Saddleback, collecting just two hits in the

process.

“Hitting’s contagious and not one person has stepped it up in the

last couple games,” Pirates Coach Sean Simpson said.

Orange Coast (6-12, 0-3) received only an infield single from

pitcher Yvonne Diaz with two outs in the fourth inning and a two-out

double by Alison Zimmer one inning later. The Pirates never sent more

than four hitters to the plate in any inning and struck out at least

once in every frame.

“The last couple games we’ve been struggling to hit the ball,”

Simpson said. “We have to be more disciplined at the plate. We’re

just going up there and swinging without a plan.”

The Pirates were shut out for the second straight game. Saddleback

freshman Courtney Hall walked just one batter and struck out eight,

including all three hitters in the seventh inning.

She received support early from her teammates, who put two runs on

the board in the top of the first inning, then watched as Orange

Coast mistakes helped pad Saddleback’s lead.

With two outs in the fourth inning, Hall singled down the

left-field line. Designated hitter April Marine followed with a

double to right-center field and when the Pirates hesitated on the

relay throw, it allowed Hall to score from first base.

In the sixth inning, after Jennifer von Pohlmann doubled, Allie

Russi attempted a bunt to advance the runner. Diaz fielded the bunt

cleanly, but threw wildly to first base, causing a collision between

Russi and Coast second baseman Juliette Brickley and allowing

pinch-runner Tiara Spriggs to score Saddleback’s fourth run of the

game.

“Our biggest thing is making the plays,” Simpson said. “This is an

easy game. All you need to do is play catch, just like when you warm

up. Catch the ball and throw a strike to first, it’s an easy game.

More miscues lead to two more runs in the top of the seventh

inning. An error put runners on first and third with two outs and

with von Pohlmann at the plate, Saddleback executed a double steal.

Coast had the runner at first base in a rundown, but attempted to

catch the lead runner at home plate. Instead, both runners advanced

safely. Von Pohlmann followed with a single and Courtney Pasqualetto

scored to make it 6-0.

Coast could never muster a rally despite hitting several balls

hard. Right fielder April Dixon was among the leaders in that

category, twice lining out on shots to the outfield.

“We had a couple girls hit the ball hard, but right at people,”

Simpson said. “If we continue to do that, they’ll start to fall.”

*--*

Orange Empire Conference

Saddleback 6, Orange Coast 0

Score by Innings

Saddleback 200 101 2 -- 6

OCC 000 000 000 -- 0

Hall and Russi; Diaz and Ensey. W--Hall. L --

Diaz. 2B -- Marine (S), von Pohlmann (S),

Zimmer (OCC).

*--*