SBVC (23-12; 10-3) has had quite an impressive run this season and is knocking on the door of being the greatest team in school history as the team broke four school records including single season hits, career RBI's, team runs scored and team hits as they knocked off the Rancho Cucamonga Chaffey Panthers (8-26; 5-8), 8-4.
Sophomore shortstop leadoff hitter Lauren Melchor (Redlands East Valley) came into today's game versus Chaffey tied with Dawn Papandrea (1997) with 64 single season hits, Melchor went 3-4 with a double and her fourth home run of the year, scoring three runs and a run batted in.
Sophomore right handed starting pitcher Alicia Morris (San Bernardino Cajon) came into today's game tied with Regan Hanes (1997-98) with 60 career RBI's, Morris went 0-2 collecting an RBI in the 4th on a sacrifice fly.
The team came into today's game tied with the 1997 team in runs scored with 212, the team scored eight runs. In addition, the team came into today's game needing five runs to tie the 1997 team in hits with 309, the team had ten hits for a total of 314 on the season with four games left.
Morris tossed three innings, giving up a home run over the center field fence in the top of the third, along with two other hits, striking out three for her 15th win of the year. Sophomore right handed pitcher Alese Graham (Redlands East Valley) wrapped up the final four innings, surrendering three runs, all unearned, on five hits, striking out two.
The top two in the batting order for SBVC were deadly as leadoff hitter, Melchor, and number two in the lineup, freshman center fielder Jesikah Fortunato (Colton H.S.), went a combined 6-8, with six runs scored and four RBI's.
SBVC got things off to a fast start in the bottom of the first, as they scored two runs in the first. Melchor led off the inning with a double and her 22nd stolen base on the season, and then came around to score on a single by Fortunato. The next two batters walked and with the bases loaded sophomore second baseman Serena Ovalles (Redlands H.S.) hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Fortunato.
The home side added three more runs in the bottom of the second as sophomore third baseman Tina Acosta (Colton H.S.) started the two out barrage with a single to left, followed up by a Melchor single to right, and Fortunato clobbered a double to left, scoring the two base runners. The next batter walked and Morris reached on an error by the Panthers short stop, scoring Fortunato, giving SBVC a 5-0 lead.
Chaffey punched a home run to center in the top of the third, but SBVC responded in the bottom of the fourth as Melchor led off the inning with a solo shot to right center. Fortunato singled to left and after a wild pitch and a ground out, came home from third on a sacrifice fly by Morris, giving SBVC a 7-1 lead.
SBVC added their final run on the afternoon in the bottom of the fifth as sophomore left fielder Ellen DeYoung (Redlands Arrowhead Christian) led off the inning with a single to left, but was taken off of the base path on a fielder's choice hit by sophomore right fielder Alex Rubio (San Bernardino Arroyo Valley). Graham followed that up with a single to center and after a double steal, Acosta grounded out to the pitcher, scoring Rubio.
Information, Photos & Story provided by SBVC Sports Information.