(Torrance, CA) In a game that took nearly three hours, the Mt. SAC Softball team pushed across the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning and eventually defeated host El Camino, 5-4, in a South Coast Conference game on Saturday (March 18).

After freshman third baseman Janis Espinoza opened the ninth with a single up the middle, she stole second and moved over to third on a flyout by sophomore Mia Mendoza. Espinoza scored on an infield ground out by Desiree Bravo.

For the sixth game in a row, the Mounties (14-3, 6-0) had double figures in hits with 12. El Camino also matched the Mounties with 12 hits.

Mt. SAC again had eight of the nine batters with a hit, led by four players – Espinoza (2-4, 2 Rs, 2 SBs, RBI), Brianna Goris (2-4), Katelyn Olson (2-3, 2 Rs, 3 SBs) and Mendoza (2-3, Dbl., 2 SAC flies). Mendoza had three RBIs for the second game in a row for the Mounties.

Trailing, 2-1, in the third inning, the Mounties had two scoring fly balls in a row by Espinoza and Mendoza to take a 3-2 lead.

Mendoza had her third RBI in the fifth, with a single to left field, scoring Olson to lead, 4-2.

El Camino tied the game, 4-4, with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

The Mounties, with the game moved up due to more rain on Tuesday, will travel to Cerritos on Monday (March 20).