SBVC Softball has 2015 home opener and splits with Imperial Valley

Information, Photos & Story provided by SBVC Sports Information.

SBVC (3-5) suffered a heart breaking loss in the first game, surrendering four runs in the top of the seventh to fall 7-6 and in the second game, the Imperial Valley Arabs (3-2) opened up an early lead, but SBVC responded in a big way, cruising to victory, 10-3.

Former SBVC Softball head coach Ken Blumenthal got the 2015 home opener started with a nearly three minute opening pitch, but once he finally tossed the ball, it was a strike. The Arabs would start the top of the first with two runs and carry that until the bottom of the third inning.

SBVC cut the lead in half when, after back-to-back strike outs, sophomore center fielder Ellen DeYoung (Redlands Arrowhead Christian) clobbered a double to center and sophomore short stop Serena Ovalles (Redlands H.S.) reached on an error by the Imperial Valley second baseman, putting DeYoung across to get SBVC within one, 2-1.

SBVC would then take the lead in the bottom of the fifth, when they pushed across five runs with the help of Ovalles' grand slam home run, giving SBVC a 6-2 lead. In the top of the sixth SBVC would bring in freshman right handed pitcher Jaelene Menchaca (Rialto H.S.) to close out the efforts of sophomore right handed starting pitcher Alese Graham (Redlands East Valley), the Arabs would add a run in the top of the sixth to get to within three, 6-3.

In the top of the seventh, Imperial Valley would bring across four runs as Menchaca struggled and Graham had to come back into the game to finish it. Unfortunately, SBVC could not respond in the bottom of the seventh and they fell, 7-6.

Game two had a similar start with Imperial Valley punching a two-run home run and opening up a two run lead in the top of the first inning, but SBVC roared back in the bottom of the first with three runs of their own to take the lead for good.

Sophomore third baseman Christina Acosta (Colton H.S.) led off the bottom of the first inning with a single to left and freshman center fielder Evangelina Mosqueda (Riverside Poly) followed that up with a bunt single. After a wild pitch, runners were on second and third, with no outs. Freshman first baseman Larissa Lemos (Redlands East Valley) doubled to center, scoring both runners and after back-to-back pop fly outs, sophomore catcher Laurie Haro (San Bernardino Aquinas) hit a bloop single to center scoring Lemos, giving SBVC a 3-2 lead.

SBVC would score another run in the bottom of the second, two more in the fourth, a run in the fifth and three more runs in the sixth as sophomore right handed starting pitcher Alicia Morris (San Bernardino Cajon) and freshman right handed pitcher Samantha Ojeda (Grand Terrace H.S.) combined to pin down the Arabs, 10-3 in game two.

Lemos would lead the way for SBVC as the three hole hitter, going 4 for 4 with three runs scored and three runs batted in and Haro would go 3 for 3 with a run scored and three RBI's. Mosqueda went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and sophomore short stop Lauren Melchor (Redlands East Valley) went 2 for 2 with a run scored and two RBI's on the afternoon.