Softball Falls to Yavapai

The South Mountain Community College softball team (4-6) lost both ends of a doubleheader at Yavapai College on Feb. 18. The Cougars fell 13-9 and 10-2 to the Roughriders, and return to action on Feb. 22 with a home doubleheader against Phoenix College starting at noon.

In game one, Yavapai jumped out to an 8-2 lead through two innings. The Cougars chipped away at the lead with two runs in the third and three in the sixth. However, a Roughrider four-run sixth inning proved to be too much to overcome, despite two Cougar runs in the seventh.

Julia Ruble had two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI. Ali Ashner finished 3 for 5 with a triple, a double, a stolen base and two runs scored. Jaymie Moore went 2 for 3 with three runs scored, a stolen base and a double. Alexa Key also had two hits and scored a run.

Christian Smith took the loss for SMCC, allowing five earned runs in an inning of work. Vanessa Gutierrez tossed the final five innings and allowed 10 hits and six earned runs.

In game two, Yavapai again struck early and took a 5-0 lead through two innings. SMCC responded with a run in the third, but a five-run fourth gave the Roughriders a lead they would not relinquish.

Eight different Cougars had a base hit in the loss. Ruble hit her team-leading fourth home run of the season, and Gutierrez, Jeweliana Navarro and Adrianaly Morales each had a double.

For the season, Ruble owns a .577 batting average with four doubles, four home runs, 15 runs scored and nine RBIs. As a team, the Cougars have 35 stolen bases in 10 games, and Morales leads the squad with nine steals to go with a .313 batting average and two RBIs.

Gutierrez took the loss in the circle for SMCC. She allowed 10 runs and had two strikeouts in four innings of work.