Three years ago, Austyn Helmuth was pitching her second season for the Pasadena City College softball team. Jaimie Harris was playing high school softball at Glendale High in her important senior season. Then COVID-19 hit, cutting short important milestone years for the two players.
Fast forward to Thursday at Robinson Park as the pair were teaming up to create new and better memories for both. Harris batted 3-for-3 with a line double off the centerfield fence, a home run well over the same fence, a 2-run single up the middle and a stolen base of home while Helmuth pitched a 7-inning, complete game for her first circle victory since that fateul 2020 season as PCC knocked off state #12-ranked El Camino, 6-1.
It was the first time under PCC head coach Monica Tantlinger (eighth full playing season, and 10th year on the job) that a Lancers team won a season series v. El Camino with one more meeting left between the schools. Pasadena (11-6 overall) remains in a percentage points lead over Mt. San Antonio to top the South Coast Conference at 5-0, the best start to a conference season by a Lancers team in 19 years [2004 team started out also 5-0 in conference play].
"El Camino is always a consistent threat and a top contender every year," Tantlinger said. "To beat them twice now to win a series is huge. That's our goal too--to win each series. Our team has a chip on its shoulders as we haven't been state ranked. I think the players took it personally."
Helmuth, whose last victory was Mar. 7, 2020, when she pitched a win over Bakersfield right before the sudden cancellation of that season, worked through early season shoulder issues to start becoming an effective hurler again for the Lancers.
Taking advantage of receiving her sophomore eligibility back due to the pandemic after a 2-year layoff from the sport, the once 2019 All-SCC ace scattered nine hits v. El Camino, walking none, and using a scintillating, Bugs Bunny changeup and sharp fastball to record four strikeouts for her 17th career PCC win.
"I say give'em Helmuth for a reason," Tantlinger punned about the veteran sophomore. "Her changeup is devastating. It was a matter of time to me before she found her way. She competes every practice, every game. I'm excited for her that she earned this clutch win."
Helmuth (1-2) had also pitched a 3-inning scoreless save v. El Camino on Mar. 8.
Harris continues a torrid hitting season after also earning All-SCC Second Team honors as a freshman. The third baseman leads the conference in home runs (six) and RBI (21). Batting .379, she is tied for second in the state in dingers and tied for ninth in runs driven in.
In the opening inning, the Lancers scored twice and never looked back. Harris' double was followed by a single to left by shortstop Danielle Ruiz, sending Harris to third. Ruiz took off to steal second, allowing Harris to pull a Jackie Robinson (PCC 1938 alumnus) in stealing home for a 1-0 lead. Leftfielder Olivia Nanez (2-for-3) then lined a double to left-center that brought in Ruiz.
First baseman Marcella Ordonez added an RBI single in the fourth inning. The Lancers knocked out El Camino's ace Skylar Sanchez, who lost her first game after coming in with a 5-0 record. Sanchez's RBI single in the third inning plated the Warriors' only run.
El Camino (10-6 overall, 2-3 in SCC play) loaded the bases v. Helmuth in the fifth, but she got out of the jam with a fielder's choice grounder to Harris that ended that threat.
PCC next visits Compton on Friday, Mar. 17 in a 2:30 p.m. conference first pitch.