SBVC Splits Pair in Return Home

Eleven years later, the San Bernardino Valley College softball team returned home to the school's campus.

Friday, the Wolverine players made sure that they returned to home plate over and over again.

SBVC scored 18 times over the two games, splitting a doubleheader with Victor Valley College. The Rams won game one 8-7, followed by an 11-8 win in game two.

Things started with a bang, with the two teams each scoring in the first inning. After VVC posted four in the third, the Wolverines scratched back with three runs each in the third and fourth innings to take a 7-5 lead. But it was short-lived, as the Rams took advantage of two SBVC errors in the fifth to take the lead for good, 8-7.

Game two got off to a similar start, as Victor Valley jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after its first two at-bats. But SBVC took over in the bottom of the second.

Kaitlynn LaFleur led off with a walk, and Adriana Lopez hit a grounder to third, but LaFleur slid in safely thanks to a muffed catch at second. Madison Barrera bunted the runners over and Jaci Hernandez beat out a soft grounder in the hole between first and second to score LaFleur. Tara Walker followed with a ground ball that first baseman Emily Ferguson had troubles with, allowing Lopez to score. Lexie DeMartino followed with a single to load the bases, and Stephanie Russo walked to force home Hernandez. Aubrey Slider's ground out gave the Wolverines the lead.

In the third, the Wolverines posted four more, with Lopez providing the big blow, launching the first home run over the fence in the new stadium, giving SBVC a 6-3 lead at the time and chasing starting pitcher Alyssa Garcia. Russo helped add on to the lead by driving home Hernandez and Walker with two out, giving the Wolverines an 8-3 lead after three.

From there, the Wolverines were forced to hang on, as the Rams kept scratching away. But SBVC's defense came up solid at opportune times, and the offense did enough to answer the Rams down the stretch for the win.

Russo finished the day 3-for-6 at the plate with five runs batted in, while LaFleur was 4-for-6 at the plate, scoring three times and stealing three bases in the two games. Aubrey Slider ended the afternoon 2-for-7 with a triple and three runs driven in.

SBVC's last game on campus was played April 19, 2013 against Mt. San Jacinto. The former softball field was located on the southeast side of the campus, and overlapped the soccer field behind the football stadium bleachers. The softball field was removed from its location as part of the upgrades and changes being made to the athletics complex. SBVC continued fielding a team, playing its games off campus. The team played at Cesar Chavez Park in Colton from 2014-2022 before playing its home games at Loma Linda University's Drayson Center the past two seasons.

The new complex, which has been completed thanks to funds approved by voters in Measure CC in 2018, features a standard dirt infield surrounded by an all-weather artificial turf surface, allowing the field to be used year-round. The complex, which includes lights, also includes a video scoreboard, batting cages, bullpens, restrooms, and team equipment storage. The fully enclosed dugouts are stocked with game-day equipment storage, including bat and helmet racks.

Before Friday's festivities, an official ribbon cutting ceremony was held on the field, with San Bernardino Community College District Chancellor Diana Rodriguez calling the field "a promise kept" to the team and community, in bringing the team back on campus, concluding her remarks with "Welcome Home."

SBVC will close out its season at home Tuesday evening with a sophomore day celebration against College of the Desert. The game is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.