Softball: Roadrunners beat West Hill Coalinga 9-3 at Monterey Tournament

Coming off a 7-3 win over L.A. Mission in its season opener, the Rio Hondo College softball team had a tougher time over the weekend as the Roadrunners won one out of three games at the Monterey Peninsula College tournament. Rio Hondo beat West Hills Coalinga and suffered losses to Cabrillo, host Monterey Peninsula, and Cosumnes River.

In its tournament opener, Rio Hondo lost 5-2 to Cabrillo on Friday morning. Julianna Fierro knocked in a pair of runs to give Rio Hondo a 2-0 lead in the second inning before Cabrillo jumped ahead for good with three runs in the third.

Brenae Martinez allowed all five runs (three earned) and seven hits in the loss. She struck out four in the complete-game effort.

The Roadrunners came back in the afternoon to defeat West Hills Coalinga 9-3. Rio Hondo blew the game open with a four-run third-inning and sealed the win with three more runs in the fifth.

Fierro went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI to lead the Roadrunners at the plate. Estefany Martinez also went 3 for 4 and drove in a run while Brittany Salcido (2 for 4) and Elaine Verdugo (2 for 4, 2 RBI) also had good games at the plate.

Martinez scattered eight hits over seven innings in the win. She allowed three runs (one earned) and struck out four to earn the victory.

Rio Hondo couldn't keep the momentum going on Saturday morning as the Roadrunners fell 6-1 to tournament host MPC. Monterey jumped ahead early with three runs in the bottom of the first and held Rio Hondo scoreless all the way until the seventh. Fierro smacked a RBI double to score Mylene Valencia for the Roadrunners' lone run.

And Rio Hondo closed out the tourney with a 10-1 five-inning loss to Cosumnes River. Once again, the opposition jumped on Martinez early by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first. The Roadrunners scored their lone run in the third when Valencia tripled and came home on a RBI single by Gabrielle Salavdor.

The Roadrunners, now 2-3 overall, look to get back on track when they return to action on Wednesday (Feb. 3) at San Diego City College.