Cougars Top Corsairs on Antonini's Walk-Off Grand Slam

Cuesta Softball earned a run-rule victory over visiting Santa Monica on the power of Designated Hitter Haley Antonini's 5^th-inning, walk-off Grand Slam, 10-2.  The Cougars, who needed 10 innings to beat the Corsairs, 6-5, yesterday in Santa Monica, completed the feat in half the time today to earn a season sweep.  The Cougars scored twice in each of the first two innings to build a 4-0 lead, however all four runs were unearned, as the Corsairs were plagued by four errors in the early innings.  Cuesta Pitcher Sam Cabrera retired the first nine Corsairs she faced in order, however they collected three hits and scored two runs in the 4^th inning to cut the Cougars' early lead in half.  Cabrera set the Corsairs down in order again in the 5^th inning and then the Cuesta offense came alive.  Leftfielder Sydney Doherty's two-out single plated two runs and was followed by Taylor Rasmusson's walk to load the bases and set the stage for Antonini.  The Corsair's replaced Starter Aliza Chacon with Third Baseman Taylor Liebesman and Antonini sent the new pitcher's first offering into the leftfield bullpen for a game-winning, bases-clearing, home run.  The blast provided the Cougars with the deciding margin of eight runs after 5 innings of play to earn the Run-rule victory, 10-2.  The Corsairs had walked Antonini her two previous times at the plate, but was forced to pitch to her with the bases-loaded.  She was 1-for-2 with a run scored and four RBI on the day.  Doherty, the Cougars' leadoff, was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and also had four RBI.  The Cougars are 11-16 overall and in 4^th place in the ten-team Western State Conference North with a 6-4 record against the loop.  They play a doubleheader at #8 Monterey Peninsula on Saturday (1/3 PM)