The MSJC softball team has taken command of the top spot in the Inland Empire Athletic Conference pushing their league record to 9-1 with five league games remaining.
The Eagles split a pair of games with second place Chaffey before sweeping both Cerro Coso and San Bernardino to vault themselves into a two-game lead over the Panthers. MSJC started their busy stretch with a road split in a doubleheader with Chaffey where they won the first game 9-1 and lost the second 1-0. In the first game Trinity Barnes had three hits and scored two runs to lead the offense, while a pinch hit two-run double by Amy Naranjo helped put the game out of reach. In game two the Eagles managed to get seven hits, two from Madison Morris, but could not push across a run in the tight 1-0 loss.
The Eagles swept Cerro Coso in a home doubleheader as they won game one 7-3 and game two 6-4. In the first game of the day both teams scored twice in the first inning before the Eagles pulled ahead with three runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth on their way to victory. Natalie Juarez had a triple, and two RBIs and Hayley Gano also drove home two. In the second game Brooke Schaffer and Juarez both knocked home a pair of runs to lead MSJC to the 6-4 win.
Saturday MSJC dominated a home double dip against San Bernardino Valley as they won a pair of run rule games in five innings each. In the day's opening game MSJC sent twenty batters to the plate in a 14-run second inning as they cruised to a 15-2 win. Bailey Heuer went two for three with a triple and a game high five RBIs. Schaffer and Naranjo both drove home three runs as the team collected fifteen total hits in just five innings. In game two the Eagles led 3-0 through four and a half innings before erupting for five in the bottom of the fifth and ending the game. Trista Clarke had three RBIs for MSJC and Trinity Robinson threw a complete game shut out allowing just two hits.
The Eagles are now 22-9 overall this season and are 9-1 in IEAC games, Chaffey currently stands in second place in the league at 6-3. This week the Eagles travel to San Bernardino Valley on Wednesday before hosting Glendale in a non-conference doubleheader Thursday. The first game in Menifee on Thursday is scheduled for noon.