
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The Golden West College Rustlers delivered a commanding performance at home on Thursday, overwhelming the Southwestern College Jaguars with a 16-1 run-rule victory in five innings. A 12-run second inning propelled Golden West (12-2) past Southwestern (5-11), as the Rustlers showcased dominance both at the plate and in the circle.
Southwestern struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Karizma Garcia drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Alisa Quitoriano. However, that would be the only run the Jaguars would muster, as Rustler pitching held them to just four hits throughout the contest.
Golden West responded emphatically in the bottom of the second, sending 16 batters to the plate in an explosive offensive showcase. Abbie Rainwater got the scoring started with an RBI single, and Reggi Frei followed with a two-run single of her own. A bases-clearing double from Lola Weber helped extend the Rustlers' lead to 5-1. Additional RBIs from Allyssa DeMayo, Candice DeMayo, and Sara Aguilar, along with key defensive miscues by Southwestern, turned the inning into a rout, giving Golden West a commanding 12-1 lead by the end of the frame.
The Rustlers tacked on four more runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by an RBI double from Desyree Arizmendi and an RBI single from Candice DeMayo. Rachel Keys added a sacrifice groundout to push the final run across.
Golden West's pitching staff was stellar, with Angelique Perez (5-0) picking up the win after tossing three innings of two-hit, one-run ball while striking out four. Arizmendi came on in relief and shut the door, allowing just two hits over two scoreless frames while fanning four batters.
Offensively, Golden West racked up 13 hits, led by Weber's four RBIs on two hits, while Rainwater, Frei, and Aguilar each contributed multiple RBIs. The Rustlers also showcased aggressive baserunning, swiping five bases, including two from Rainwater.
NEXT: Golden West will open Orange Empire Conference play at home against Riverside City College with a 2pm start.