COALINGA – The SBCC softball team (5-0) made it five straight wins to start the year on Tuesday, taking a road doubleheader at West Hills Coalinga (3-3) with a 6-3 extra-inning win followed by a 13-5 victory.
It was a big day for shortstop Delaney Neely, who was the only Vaquero with multiple hits in both games. Lauren Indermuehle also had a huge game to start the day with a career-high four hits and a run.
Facing a Falcons team riding a three-game win streak, Santa Barbara ended it with a comeback victory in game one. The Vaqueros got on the board first with a run in the third, but West Hills took a 3-1 lead in the bottom half of the inning.
SBCC tied it with a pair of runs in the fifth, and after two scoreless innings from both sides, the game would go to extras. Fortunately for the Vaqueros, they saved their best for last, scoring three runs in the top of the eighth and shutting the Falcons out for the fifth straight inning.
After putting in work offensively, Indermuehle took over in the circle for Joslyn Soinila and pitched a flawless final inning for her first save of the year. Neely finished with two hits and two runs, while first baseman Mellanie Barth added two hits, a run and an RBI. Sarah Hammonds also had an RBI off one hit.
In game two, Neely continued to put up big numbers with three hits, three runs and RBI and a walk. Third baseman Emma Hatcher also had three hits and a pair of RBI.
The Vaqueros went ahead in the top of the third with four runs. West Hills fought back with three of its own in the bottom of the third, but SBCC kept the offense firing on all cylinders with six more runs over the next two innings to pull away.
Leading 10-4 heading into the seventh, the Vaqueros iced the game with three more runs. They finished with 10 hits, reaching double-figures for the second time in three games.
