Vikings double up Pasadena in 10-5 South Coast Conference win

Freshman Cassie Demers (Mary Star of the Sea HS) smashed a two-run home run as part of a 13-hit game for Long Beach City College and the Vikings defeated visiting Pasadena City College 10-5 on Tuesday at LBCC.

The South Coast Conference win improved Long Beach to 12-10 overall and 6-5 in conference play while Pasadena dropped to 10-17 and 2-9 in the SCC.

The Vikings, coming off a big 17-6 win at Santa Barbara City College on Saturday, erupted for double-digit hits and runs for the second straight game.

LBCC jumped on Pasadena starting pitcher Casey Ramirez early, scoring three runs in the first and another three more in the third.

In Vikings' opening frame, freshman Amanda Sandoval (North Torrance HS) lined a two-run double to score freshman Rayleen Pallan (California HS) and sophomore Melissa Yepez (Paramount HS). Three batters later, sophomore Natalie Ayala (Torrance HS) lined a base hit up the middle to bring in Sandoval.

In the third, a two-out error by the Lancers led to three unearned Long Beach runs. Freshman Meghan Rogers' (St. Joseph HS) fielder's choice allowed sophomore Melyssa Rivas (Santa Fe HS) to score before Yepez singled home freshman Jenny Santiago (Downey HS). Sandoval then followed that with a bases-loaded walk to force in Rogers.

The Vikings appeared to be on their way to a mercy-rule win, but a disastrous top of the fourth inning put Pasadena back in the game. Three Long Beach errors in the fourth led to four PCC runs.

But LBCC came right back to get two of those runs back. Sophomore Victoria Padilla got the two-out rally started with a double before Demers smacked Long Beach's first homerun of the season over the left-field fence.

Padilla capped the Vikings' scoring in the fifth with a two-run double that scored Rivas and freshman Mary Gonzales (Banning HS).

Gonzales picked up the victory in relief for Long Beach. She tossed the final four innings and allowed one unearned run and two hits. Ayala fell victim to the Vikings' rough fourth inning as she allowed four runs (two earned) and three hits over 3+ innings.

At the plate, Yepez (3 for 5, 1 run, 1 RBI) and Sandoval (3 for 4, 3 RBI, 1 run) both had three hits for LBCC. Padilla off the bench went 2 for 2 with a pair of doubles and two RBI.

Ramirez took the loss for the Lancers, as she allowed five runs (three earned) and four hits over 2 1/3 innings.