Cougars Unleash Offense in Doubleheader Sweep of Scottsdale

The South Mountain Community College softball team swept its season-opening doubleheader against Scottsdale Community College. The Cougars opened the day with a 10-3 victory in the first game and then added a 12-8 decision in the second game.

Freshman Julia Ruble had a big day at the plate for the Cougars as the rookie went 8 for 9 with two home runs. In game two, she hit for the cycle, batting 5 for 5 with two doubles, a triple, a home run, three runs and four RBIs. That came on the heels of a three-hit performance with three runs, three RBIs and a home run in game one.

Fellow newcomer Nekysha Nakai went 6 for 7 with 8 RBIs. She went 3 for 3 with a triple and a home run in the first contest and then added a 3 for 4 performance with one run and one RBI in the second game.

Sophomore Ali Ashner also had a successful debut for SMCC. The Arizona transfer went 3 for 4 with four runs, four RBIs, a double and a home run in the game two victory. She added a hit and two runs scored in game one.

In the circle, sophomore Vanessa Gutierrez tossed a pair of impressive performances. She threw a complete game in the game one victory and then added four innings of relief work to pick up the win in game two.

Gutierrez took the ball in the season opener and never looked back, scattering six hits and three unearned runs with two strikeouts in seven innings. In game two, she recorded four innings of relief and surrendered two hits and a run.

The wins represent the first two for first-year SMCC head coach Brittney Matta.

In game one, SMCC jumped out for three runs in the first and then added two more in the third. With the Cougars leading 5-0, the teams exchanged one run in the fourth and two in the fifth before SMCC posed two more in the bottom of the sixth.

The Cougars attacked the base paths with the same success they had at the plate. Alexa Key, Destiny Apodaca, Jaymie Moore, Adrianaly Morales and Kristin Deal all had stolen bases in the victory.

In game two, the Cougars rallied from an early 7-0 deficit to complete the doubleheader sweep.  SMCC scored twice in the bottom of the third and then added four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. Two more insurance runs came across the plate in the bottom of the sixth to seal the victory. The Cougars finished with 20 hits in the win.

Morales had two hits, two runs, one RBI and a stolen base in the win. Moore went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and a stolen base while Rebecca Goodwin added two hits and a run scored.

The Cougars added six stolen bases in the win to give them 11 on the day. Adriana Monroy had her first of the season while Key and Apodaca picked up their second of the day.

Christian Smith started game two for SMCC and went three innings with a strikeout and three earned runs.

South Mountain Community College returns to action with a doubleheader at Central Arizona College on Saturday, Feb. 8. The first pitch of game one is slated for noon.