Softball extended its current winning streak to a season-best five games after sweeping a doubleheader over visiting Rio Hondo, 6-5 and 6-2, on "Sophomore Day".  The visiting Roadrunners drew first blood in both games only to have the host Cougars comeback for a pair of triumphs.  In the opener Rio Hondo manufactured a run in their first at-bat, while also holding the lead in the 3^rd, 8^th, and 9^th innings, yet could not close out the victory. Cuesta finally claimed the opener in the 9th inning on Sophomore Sydney Wildes' walk-off single, which plated All-WSC Outfielder Mara Mazanec for the win, 6-5.  Cuesta's Starting Pitcher Hannah Hollingsworth survived four unearned runs to claim a complete game victory for the Cougars.  In Game 2, the Roadrunners jumped out again and scored twice in the top of the 1st inning, but that was all they could manage against Cuesta Pitcher Bella Garcia.  Garcia faced only 20 batters over the last six innings as she held Rio Hondo scoreless and waited for her offense to win the game with four runs in the 6^th inning.  Centerfielder Emily Valdez and Shortstop Reese Tartaglia led the offense on the day and spurred the game-winning rally in the nightcap.  Valdez was 4-for-8 in the doubleheader, including a double and a home run, while scoring five of the Cougars' 12 runs on the day. Tartaglia was 5-for-8, including a double, and drove in five runs, including a pair in the game-deciding 6^th inning of Game 2.  The Cougars are 17-12 on the season.

Cuesta returns to its Western State Conference schedule with three games next week.  The Cougars travel to face loop-leader Ventura on Tuesday (2:30), before hosting a make-up game against Santa Barbara on Wednesday (2:30) and playing the Vaqueros again on the road in Santa Barbara on Thursday (2:30).  Cuesta will stay on the road to close out the week with a non-conference twinbill against Los Angeles Valley in Van Nuys on Friday (12/2 PM).  After next week, the Cougars have only four games left on their regular season schedule, including a doubleheader at home against local rival Allan Hancock on April 13.  

Sophomore Picture (L-R)- Emily Valdez, Alura Neill, Mara Mazanec, Sydney Wildes