Hester pitches No. 15 Vikings to upset win of No. 5 Mt. SAC

LONG BEACH – Sophomore Ashley Hester was determined to finish what she started in the circle for Long Beach City College.

Despite a 30-minute weather delay late in the game, Hester went the distance in shutting out No. 5 state-ranked Mt. San Antonio College on Tuesday.

The Vikings scored all the runs they would need in the bottom of the first inning on their way to a big 3-0 South Coast Conference victory over the visiting Mounties. Mt. SAC entered the contest having won 9 of its last 10 ball games and was previously unbeaten in conference play.

Despite allowing 8 hits, Hester was able to strand 11 Mounties on base, including pitching her way out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh inning just moments after enduring a 30-minute delay on the field. With the win, Hester improved to 6-4 overall.

LBCC tagged Mt. SAC starter Aleyna Urbina for three runs in the first. Jasmine Delgado knocked in Alia Marquez with a RBI single and Alynna Gonzalez followed with a two-run single to score Delgado and Gladys Garcia.

The Vikings, who just made their return to the 3CFCA state rankings at No. 20, improved to 17-7 overall and 10-2 in South Coast Conference play. LBCC has won 8 of its last 9 games, including a narrow 3-2 win over previous No. 15-ranked Pasadena City College on Tuesday.

Mt. SAC fell to 17-5 overall and 8-1 in the SCC.

Long Beach returns to action on Friday (Mar. 31) when it hosts rival Cerritos College in a 3 p.m. conference game.