SBVC (1-3) celebrated their home opener and immediately had a tough hole to climb out of, falling to the Bakersfield Renegades (2-2) in 5 innings, 11-3.
Bakersfield opened up the top of the first with a seven run outburst and it looked like the game was going to get lopsided quick, but SBVC would not be broken. The home side attempted to keep the game out of mercy range by putting together back-to-back defensive three and outs and plating a couple of runs in the bottom of the third.
Freshman first baseman Alex Woods (Riverside John Wesley North) would lead off the third with a single to right, advancing to second on an error by the short stop, who heaved the ball into right field on the play. Freshman second baseman Desiree Donley (San Bernardino Options 4 Youth) followed that up by clobbering a double to right, scoring Woods and moving to third on an error by the Renegades first baseman. Then leadoff batter, sophomore short stop Savanah Guzman (Redlands H.S.) hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Donley and getting SBVC within five, 7-2.
Unfortunately, in the fourth Bakersfield would add two more runs, making the score, 9-2, chasing SBVC freshman right handed starting pitcher Terilyn Baude (1-3) (San Bernardino Cajon) after tossing four complete innings, surrendering nine runs, three earned, on seven hits, walking four and striking out three.
Bakersfield would welcome Woods, who left first base to toss an inning of relief, with two more runs, and SBVC went into the bottom of the fifth, down 11-2. Once again, SBVC made a fight of it and the top of the lineup was coming to the plate.
After a pop fly out to center, freshman center fielder Karina Ponce (Moreno Valley Rancho Verde) struck out, but reached on a head first slide into first base and an error by the Bakersfield first baseman. Ponce reached second on a two out wild pitch and scored on a single to right by freshman first baseman Claire Garcia (Redlands The Grove School).
Woods went 1 for 1 with a run scored and Donley went 1 for 2, hit a double, collected a run batted in and a run. Guzman went 1 for 2 with an RBI and a sac fly and Ponce went 0 for 2 with a walk and a run scored. Garcia went 1 for 1 with an RBI in the loss.
Photos by Wade Byars.
Information, Photos & Story provided by SBVC Sports Information.