Pamplin Leads Delta Past Cypress in Opening Game

California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association All-State selection Delaney Pamplin of San Joaquin Delta College proved every bit as good as advertised on Friday morning when she helped lead the North #3 Mustangs past Southern California #2 Cypress College. The sophomore pitcher didn't give up an earned run and kept the Chargers off balance all game long, en route to a 5-2 victory for Delta in the opening game of the 2019 CCCAA State Softball Championships.

The Chargers jumped out to an early lead, getting an RBI single through the left-side of the field off the bat of freshman shortstop Lesley Bojorquez in the bottom of the first. Both teams would trade scoreless innings, until San Joaquin Delta answered in unconventional fashion with a foul out on the third base side that plated sophomore right fielder Morgan Wheeler from third.

Cypress would briefly regain the lead in the top of the sixth, when an error by San Joaquin Delta allowed sophomore second baseman Infinity Laufou to score and make it 2-1. That lead would last all of two outs, as the Mustangs rallied with a four spot in the top of the sixth.

With the bases loaded for Delta and one out, the Chargers would hold off the Mustangs momentarily with a fielder's choice ground out that Cypress sophomore third baseman Amanda Campos played beautifully fielding a short hop to her left and firing home to get the second out.

The flood gates opened thereafter though as Mustang sophomore second baseman Mikaela Ferreira got things going with a 2-RBI single to center field. Freshman designated player Ashley Laughlin would follow that up with a single to left-center that plated two more runs and made it 5-2.

With her first lead of the game, Pamplin continued to go to work pounding the strike zone and keeping the Charger batters uncomfrotable. In the bottom of the sixth Pamplin set Cypress down in order. In the bottom of the seventh, Pamplin got a lineout to start the frame, before giving up back-to-back singles that gave the Chargers a chance to threaten. Pamplin settled back in though and fielder's choice groundout and a pop fly to right field to end the Cypress chances.

Pamplin (28-5) would finish the game with three strikeouts, giving up just six hits, and walking none. Of the 97 pitches she threw on the game, 71 were for strikes. At the plate, the Mustangs were paced by Ferreira and Laughlin who both went 2-for-3. Ferreira scored a run and drove in a pair, while Laughlin finished with three RBIs.

In the loss, Cypress was paced by Campos who was 2-for-4 and sophomore designated player Marissa Montesdeoca was 2-for-3.

With the loss, Cypress falls to 38-8 on the year and drops down into the elimination bracket. They will take on the loser of Game #2 between North #1 College of San Mateo and South #4 Fullerton College on Saturday at 9:00 AM on the campus of California State University Bakersfield.

San Joaquin Delta College improves to 37-6 on the season and moves into the quarterfinals. They will take on the winner of the aforementioned San Mateo and Fullerton contest. That game will take place on the campus of Bakersfield College with first pitch set for 9:00 AM.