Long Beach Softball Earns Five All-Conference Members
It was recently announced by the South Coast Conference (SCC) that five Long Beach City College softball student-athletes earned SCC-South All-Conference accolades at the conclusion of the regular season. Freshman utility player Alissa Cienfuegos (Carson, CA), sophomore second baseman Daisy Velasquez (Bellflower, CA), and sophomore third baseman Denise Flores (Carson, CA) earned First-Team All-Conference nods, while sophomore pitcher Anissa Hamilton (Downey, CA) was named to the Second-Team All-Conference list. Additionally, freshman outfielder Alijah Vega (Long Beach, CA) earned Honorable Mention recognition. All five athletes are first-time recipients.
Cienfuegos was a potent weapon for the Vikings throughout the entire season by owning multiple roles – most times simultaneously. Offensively, she owned a line that read a .427 batting average, .482 on-base percentage, and a .806 slugging percentage. She led her squad with eight bombs, 41 RBI, 53 hits, 30 runs scored, and 19 two-baggers. She amassed 16 multi-hit contests and 10 multi-RBI games. She recorded four RBI in one game on three separate occasions and did the majority of her damage in the three-hole. She was very versatile on defense as well by playing center field at times and held a .943 fielding percentage. She also acted as the Vikings' ace in the circle by compiling an overall record of 10-9 that featured a 2.74 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 117.2 innings pitched. Additionally, she tossed nine complete games.
Velasquez earned her first-career All-Conference nod in her final season as a Viking after pacing the team in batting average at a mark of .433. She was dynamic in her skill set as she barreled 52 hits, plated 20 RBI, and scored 29 runs. All those marks were second-best on the team. She held a 13-game hitting streak at one point in the season that featured a 5-for-5 day that included five runs scored in a 20-0 win over L.A. Harbor. She recorded 14 multi-hit games that included a pair of 5-for-5 days. Defensively, she played a solid second base that featured a fielding percentage of .947.
Flores returned home after spending one season at the Division I level and took a year off to only burst back on the scene with flare. She started in 38 games at the hot corner and made just a trio of errors to boast an impressive .966 fielding percentage with 89 total chances and 37 putouts. Offensively, she shifted around the order to earn an overall batting average of .336. She barreled 39 hits that included seven doubles and one home run. She swiped a pair of bags on the season and drove in 16 RBI while scoring 23 times. She held a five-game hitting streak at one point in the season where she was 15-for-20 with three RBI and seven runs scored.
Hamilton came on strong in the latter half of the season to earn her inaugural All-Conference laurels in her final season for Long Beach. The Downey, CA native utilized a strong pitching savvy to earn a 7-3 record in 12 games started marking the best winning percentage for the Vikings. She proved to be a strikeout pitcher by pocketing 52 punch outs in just 59 innings tossed. She earned a total of seven strikeouts in three outings on the season and earned the victory in two of those starts. She finishes her career with 102 total strikeouts and 12 wins.
Vega earns honorable mention after solid contributions to the team this season. Vega provided a solid glove in right field by not committing a single error in 42 total chances. She recorded one assist as well. Offensively, she boasted a .330 batting average to go along with a .387 on-base percentage and a .402 slugging percentage. Additionally, she barreled seven doubled, scored 16 runs, and drove in 16 RBI.
The Vikings continue play in the CCCAA Regional Playoffs this Friday, May 5th against Santiago Canyon on the road for a double header. The first game is set to begin at 12 noon.