Softball won its first Western State Conference contest of the 2023 campaign with a victory over previously unbeaten Santa Barbara, 9-5.  The Vaqueros arrived in SLO with a 10-0 record and a new ranking as the #12 team in the CCCAA South Region and immediately jumped on the Cougars.  Santa Barbara scored four runs in the 1st inning but were helped by a pair of Cuesta miscues that accounted for three unearned runs.  Cuesta came back with three runs on three hits in their first at-bat and took the lead for good in the 3rd inning.  The Cougars broke the game open with five runs as they batted around in the inning and pulled away from their ranked rival.  Shortstop Reese Tartaglia (pict) and Centerfielder Emily Valdez both enjoyed multi-hit games for Cuesta.  Tartaglia was 2-for-4, including a Double, while scoring once and driving in two runs and Valdez added two singles, along with a run and a stolen base.  In the Pitching Circle, Freshman Righthander Hannah Hollingsworth kept the Vaqueros off balance as she went the distance for the victory.  Hollingsworth, after the first inning, scattered seven more hits over the last six frames and improved to 3-1 on the season.  The win also moved the Cougars to 5-6 overall and, after falling to Ventura last Tuesday, Cuesta is also 1-1 against the Western State Conference.

Cuesta Softball returns to action tomorrow with a non-conference doubleheader against visiting Porterville.  The Cougars are Pirates will square off at Noon with the nightcap scheduled for 2 PM.