Vaqueros score four in 7th to sweep Cuesta on Sophomore Day

SBCC saved its best for last on Saturday, scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull out a 4-3 walk-off win over Cuesta and complete a WSC North doubleheader softball sweep at Pershing Park.

Trailing 3-0 in their last at-bat, the Vaqueros (20-16, 13-9) loaded the bases with no outs on an error, a strikeout and wild pitch and a walk to Alyssa Richter. Left-hander Maggie Jackson (2-3) drilled a line-drive single over the first baseman's head, driving in Madison McNamee. The right fielder booted the ball into foul territory, allowing Monica Salas and Richter to score, tying the game at 3-3.

After a flyout, Connie Towne drove a sacrifice fly to left and Jackson sprinted home with the winning run.

"I had one job to do and that's to move the runners," said Jackson, a sophomore right fielder from Tempe, Ariz. "I knew that was my last at-bat as a sophomore, so I wanted to make it a good one.

"I changed my mindset in the seventh. I tried to stop thinking and focus on my pitch, to feel it and trust my reactions. When we loaded the bases, the dugout got rowdy and everyone was up giving us good energy."

The Vaqueros won the first game 4-2. They fell behind 2-0 in the first, the Salas unloaded her sixth homer to straightaway center, a two-run shot that tied it 2-2.. SBCC added single runs in the third and fourth on an RBI single by McNamee and a throwing error that scored Jackson from third.

Cuesta (21-16-1, 15-7) had its WSC North title hopes dashed with the two losses.

"There's no words to describe how it feels to win our last home game with four runs in the seventh," said Jackson. "This is the best feelling every, I couldn't have asked for a better ending. And I couldn't have done it without my teammates. This was a fun, fun season."

Rebecca Pullen (6-6) got the win in Game 1, holding the Cougars to two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks. "Becca kept them off-balance by throwing more changeups than usual," noted coach Paula Congleton. "That was a great home run by Monica in the first to get the game tied up at 2."

Calista Wendell (8-5) was the winner in the second game, giving up three runs (one earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

Saturday was the final home appearance for eight Vaquero sophomores – Jackson, McNamee, Salas, Towne, Pullen, Lauren Hope Ballard, Sydney Townes and Felicia Granlund. The Vaqueros went 12-5 at home this season and 25-9 in their two-year careers.

SBCC won the second game despite being outhit 7-3 and commiting three errors that brought in two unearned runs in the seventh.

Cuesta pitcher Demi Danell had retired 12 in a row and took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

"Starting in the fifth and sixth, we told the kids to move back in the box because they weren't seeing the ball well," Congleton explained. "When you move back, those pitches are going to be balls because they're dropping too soon or she has to bring the pitch across the plate. We started seeing the ball a lot better."

Jackson went 3-6 on the day, raising her average to .326. McNamee leads the team in batting at .462, followed by Townes (.372), Richter (.369) and Salas (.354). McNamee is the third-leading hitter in the WSC North.

"It was really great to honor our sophomores and see them have such a great day," said Congleton, who's finishing her 19th season as head coach. "Seven of the eight are returning all-conference players. They've had a great year. Unfortunately, our win-loss record doesn't show it but these kids have been outstanding."

The Vaqueros will wrap up the season on Tuesday with a doubleheader at Santa Monica at 1 & 3 p.m.