3/11/10: Latest win keeps softball in the OEC hunt
 The Saddleback women’s softball team remained in second place in the Orange Empire Conference after a slim 1-0 win over Santiago Canyon College on Wednesday afternoon. The Gauchos are giving chase to top-ranked and undefeated Cypress College and will face Santa Ana on Friday at home.
Saddleback survived a bit of a scare on Wednesday when it scraped across one run in the sixth inning against Santiago Canyon, a fourth-year program that currently sits in 7th place in the OEC. The Gauchos received a solid pitching performance from Katie Doering, who kept Saddleback in the game until the bats heated up in the later innings.
Santiago Canyon only threatened in one inning but came up empty in the third when they had their only two hits of the game, as Doering silenced the Hawks for most of the afternoon. Doering only had two strikeouts, but had command all afternoon, surrendering just one walk.
Saddleback finally broke through in the sixth inning when Kelly Bosshart singled in twin sister Sarah Bosshart, who had earlier doubled off the wall. For Bosshart (Kelly), it was one of two hits on the afternoon as the Gauchos had eight hits on the day, with five coming in the last three innings.
The win kept Saddleback within an arms distance from Cypress, who remains undefeated on the season at 18-0 and 9-0 in OEC play. The Gauchos are now 18-4 on the season and 7-2 in conference play, a game ahead of Fullerton College in the standings.
Saddleback will host Santa Ana College (8-9-1, 3-5) on Friday afternoon at 2:00 PM.
3/8/10:
Gaucho softball sets power records in the valley
 The Saddleback softball team left town for the Central Valley on Friday licking its wounds after suffering back-to-back losses in Orange Empire Conference play last week. The Gauchos came home in a different mood on Sunday evening after punishing the competition for 19 home runs, winning four of five games and setting the all time school record for long balls.
Saddleback left for the Fresno City College Tournament with 17 home runs for the season, nearing the all time school record of 27 home runs set in 2008. The Gauchos finished the weekend with 36 home runs on the season, pounding the competition for 19 home runs in five games, led by sophomore Starr White. 
White finished with four bombs over the weekend, hitting home runs on three consecutive at-bats against Allan Hancock College on Sunday morning. Six other Gauchos would connect on round-trippers over the weekend, with Sarah Bosshart, Kelly Bosshart, Sara Sutton and Stephanie Chotkevys all hitting three apiece. Ashley Putkamer hit two home runs while Blyth Ashby connected on one, as Saddleback scored 33 runs in 27 innings of play.
"In all my seasons at Saddleback, I have never seen anything like it," Head Coach Nick Trani said. "Any player in the lineup is capable of going deep."
 Kelly Bosshart set the individual season home run record (for the time being) as she finished the weekend with seven home runs on the season, breaking the single-season record of six hit by Lauren Molina and Blyth Ashby in 2008. White and Chotkevys both have six home runs for the season while Putkamer and Sutton both have five, setting up quite a race for the record books down the stretch drive of the season.
On the field, Saddleback hammered the competition for the majority of the weekend, playing two of the elite teams from Northern California. The Gauchos blasted Victor Valley 15-2 in the opener on Saturday before dropping its only game of the weekend in a slugfest against Sacramento City College, 12-10. In the game against Sac City, Saddleback hit five home runs but fell behind 12-5 by giving up 11 runs in one inning. They would make a ferocious comeback on the Panthers by scoring five runs in the final inning, but would leave the bases loaded to finish the game.
Saddleback made quick work of Chabot College on Sunday morning, beating the Gladiators 8-1 in five innings to improve to 2-1 in the tournament. It was just the beginnings of what would be a big day for the Gauchos as they then thwarted Allan Hancock College, 17-0. Saddleback hit six home runs during the game with pitchers Jesika Johnson and Jessica Mattes combining on a no-hitter. Perhaps the biggest thrill of the day, however, came during the afternoon when the Gauchos upended the top-rated team in the state, Sierra College, 3-2. Saddleback outhit the Wolverines 6-3 in the contest, beating much-heralded pitcher Sam Baker in the process. Baker entered the game 8-1 on the season with seven shutouts and an ERA around 0.30. Katie Doering pitched for the Gauchos, surrendering just two hits and two walks over seven innings.
Saddleback finished the weekend at 17-4 on the season. They now have the No. 8 RPI rating in the state following the big weekend up north. All four of their losses on the season have come against programs rated in the top-10 in the state (according to RPI).
3/01/10: Gauchos mauled by Tigers
  It looked like it was going to be a bad afternoon for Riverside's softball team when one of its players was injured in pregame warm-ups. But it turned out to be a fairly good afternoon as the Tigers (5-7, 4-3) held off a late rally by the Gauchos (13-2, 6-1) and posted a 6-2 victory, handing Saddleback its first conference loss of the year.
The Gauchos gave up five runs in the fourth inning on a pair of singles, three walks, and an error and found themselves in a 5-0 hole with time running out. Riverside pitcher Reylene Cornado (left) carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before Starr White's two-out single ended that run. White (pictured) ended up with two hits for the Gauchos.
Saddleback pitcher Jesika Johnson (7-1) got out of a bases-loaded jam in both the second and third innings, but wasn't as fortunate in the fourth.
It was Johnson's first loss of the year.
Patti Masner had three hits and two RBI for the Tigers while Cornado (1-3) picked up her first victory of the season.
2/26/10: Softball defeats Fullerton in conference game
 Saddleback improved to 13-1 on the season and a stellar 6-0 in Orange Empire Conference games with a dramatic 2-1 victory over visiting Fullerton (9-5, 3-3) on Friday afternoon.
Fullerton scored in the top of the third inning when Jackie Taylor lined a pitch over the left field fence for a home run. But Saddleback answered that run in the bottom half of the fourth inning as Sarah Bosshart singled to right field to lead off the inning and advanced to third base on a single to center field by Stephanie Chotkevys. Kaitlyn Friday's two-out single to center field scored Bosshart with the tying run.
The Gauchos pushed across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Kelly Bosshart stroked a two-out double to left-center field and Chotkevys (pictured) followed with a double to center.
Saddleback's defensive play saved the game for pitcher Jesika Johnson (6-0). Right fielder Ashley Putkamer threw out Fullerton batters at first base to end the second and third innings on what initially appeared to be solid singles to right field with a runner on third base each time. Fullerton had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth inning before Saddleback turned a double-play to get out of the inning unscathed.
2/24/10: Gauchos remain perfect in conference play
 Saddleback remained undefeated in Orange Empire Conference play following a 4-1 victory over Golden West on Wednesday night, thanks in large part to the bat of outfielder Kaitlyn Friday.
Friday (left) put Saddleback on the scoreboard in the second inning as she hit a triple down the right field line with two outs and scored two batters later on a single by Megan Boardman. The Gauchos added two more runs in the third inning as Sara Sutton reached on an error and Stephanie Chotkevys was safe on a fielder's choice when her infield ground ball was thrown too late to second base to try to get Sutton out. Blyth Ashby singled through the right side to score one run with Chotkevys advancing all the way to third. Friday's sacrafice fly to center field easily scored Chotkevys to give Saddleback a 3-0 lead.
Kate Doering pitched a complete game for the Gauchos, scattering five Rustler hits and striking out two batters as Saddleback improved to 12-1 overall and 5-0 in conference games.
2/16/10: Softball blanks Pirates on Putkamer's bomb
 At 5'3", freshman outfielder Ashley Putkamer might appear small. But on Tuesday she was wielding a big stick
as her solo home run in the fifth inning was enough to give Saddleback a 1-0 victory over visiting Orange Coast College in an Orange Empire Conference showdown.
OCC pitcher Ashley Cardenas did a good job of keeping the usually-potent Saddleback bats silent for most of the game. The Gauchos only collected five hits, about one-half of their usual offensive power. But Putkamer's shot to left field in the fifth inning was a no-doubter as soon as it left her bat.
Megan Boardman, in her first pitching appearance of the season, came on in relief in the second inning and completed the game to earn the victory. She allowed just one hit, struck out two, and walked four of the 21 batters she faced.
Saddleback improves to 7-0 on the season and 2-0 in conference play. Orange Coast falls to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in conference.
2/13/10: Saddleback softball beats Bakersfield
 Saddleback posted another shortened, non-conference victory on Saturday, defeating Bakersfield 11-3 in five innings to improve to 6-0 on the season. It was the fifth game stopped after five innings due to the 8-run mercy rule for the Gauchos this season.
The Gauchos scored in each of the five innings, posting three in the first inning on two errors, two walks, and a two-run single by Sara Sutton. Saddleback added two more in the second inning on a two-run home run by shortstop Kelly Bosshart to help Saddleback to a 5-0 lead. Bakersfield scored all three of its runs in the top of the third inning on a single, three walks, a hit batsman, a Gaucho throwing error, and two mental errors, but Saddleback was able to stop the rally with the bases loaded to retain the lead.
Saddleback got all three runs back in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run double by Blyth Ashby. Megan Geier singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Ashley Putkamer. The Gauchos added a run in the fourth after Sutton doubled with one out and was forced in by three consecutive walks.
Saddleback pushed the final two runs across the plate with two outs in the fifth inning as Starr White roped a double to the fence in right field to score the Bosshart twins and reach the needed 8-run lead to stop the game.
Both Bosshart's (Kelly and Sarah) scored three runs for the Gauchos. Kelly had two RBI on the afternoon, as did Sutton, White, and Ashby. Pitcher Jesika Johnson (pictured) recorded the victory on the mound.
2/10/10: Gaucho softball live on GSN this Saturday
 The Saddleback Gauchos versus Bakersfield Renegades softball game on Saturday, February 13, will be broadcast live on the Gaucho Sports Network starting at 12:55 PM. The Gauchos are off to a fast start on the season and are rated No. 8 in the state, looking to continue their roll against one of the top programs from the Western States Conference.
The first pitch of the game is scheduled for 1:00 PM and the pregame will start around 12:55 live on GSN via streaming video on your computer. Saddleback and Bakersfield is likely one of the top games in the state this weekend with the Gauchos coming in at 5-0 on the season and the Renegades at 0-1, with the lone loss coming against No. 18 Fresno City College (8-6).
Saddleback recently moved up from No. 16 in the state to No. 8 after four decisive wins to start the season. The Gauchos have outscored the four opponents 65-9 on the season, but expect a big test on Saturday from the always tough Renegades.
“Bakersfield always has one of the top teams in the state,” Saddleback head coach Nick Trani said. “Coach Taylor is as good as they come and she will have them prepared and ready to play.”
2/08/10: Gauchos can't get past fifth inning in another win
 It was another ho-hum victory for the Gauchos on Monday afternoon, a 9-1 win over Mt. San Jacinto College which was called short with no outs in the bottom of the fifth inning due to the 8-run rule. It was the fourth time that the Gauchos (4-0) have ended their game early due to the 8-run rule.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Friday smacked another pair of home runs, lofting a 2-run shot over the right field fence in the second inning and adding a leadoff homerun to left in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sara Sutton (left) also showed her power, blasting a leadoff home run to deep center field in the bottom half of the third inning.
The Gauchos scored three times in the second inning as Ashley Putkamer singled following Friday's home run. Putkamer stole second base and then scored easily on Sarah Bosshart's triple over the right fielder. Saddleback added two in the third and two in the fourth to build an 8-1 lead. After Sutton's homer in the third, Starr White doubled and came in to score on a pair of groundouts.
Saddleback was able to get the necessary 8-run cushion when Megan Geier walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning, advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches, then scored the game-ending run on a single through the left side of a pulled-in infield by Blyth Ashby.
1/28/10: Gauchos hammer COD in softball opener
 The Saddleback softball team was in a record-setting mood to open the season on Wednesday evening with a 32-5 win over College of the Desert. The Gauchos scored 20 runs in the first inning, as sophomore Kaitlyn Friday hammered a grand slam in the opening frame to lead the charge.
Friday was one of three Saddleback players to have home runs in the first inning and one of four to go deep on the evening. Freshman Ashley Putkamer led off the game with a home run over the right field fence and sophomore Sara Sutton also went deep later in the inning. Sophomore Starr White also homered in the game as the Gauchos scored a record 32 runs on the night in a game that was called after 4.5 innings due to the 8-run rule.
Friday finished the night 3-for-3 with the home run and six RBI. Putkamer finished 4-for-4 with four runs scored, scoring three times in a first inning that took the Gauchos 55 minutes to complete their at-bats.
Saddleback will play at home again on Friday night when they host Los Angeles Valley College at 5:00 PM.
Archives:
2009 News
2008 News
|
