Vaqueros top Cuesta in 13-10 slugfest

SBCC erupted for seven runs in the fifth inning on Thursday and went on to beat Cuesta 13-10 in a WSC North softball slugfest in San Luis Obispo.

The teams combined for 23 runs, 24 hits and 14 walks in a nearly 3-hour contest.

Catcher Michaela Peters was 2-3 with two RBIs for the Vaqueros (10-8, 5-4) and center fielder Sydney Townes was 2-5 with two RBIs. Seven Vaqueros had at least one hit and eight drove in runs.

Calista Wendell (4-1) got the pitching win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Rebecca Pullen started in the circle for the Vaqueros, giving up seven runs (four earned) on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. Pullen returned in the seventh and earned her first save after Cuesta got runners on first and third with one out.

Maggie Jackson, Alyssa Richter and Madison McNamee also had two hits for the Vaqueros. Madi Zelenski went 2-3 with two RBIs for the Cougars (10-7, 5-4), who left 12 runners on base.

Cuesta scored four in the first and the Vaqueros answered with a 4-spot in the third. After the home team went ahead 7-4, SBCC send 12 batters to the plate in the fifth, scoring seven runs on four hits, three walks and an error. Richter had an RBI double and Townes delivered a two-run single to make it 11-7.

The Vaqueros will complete their nine-game road trip on Tuesday with a WSC doubleheader at Bakersfield at 1 and 3 p.m.