Mounties End it Early in Eight Run Victory over AVC
May 18 , 2007

Chino Hills, Calif. – Mt. SAC and Antelope Valley battled for the third time this season for the right to move into the semifinals of the State Tournament. The two battled through three scoreless innings before the Mounties broke it open and eventually won in five innings 8-0. Sophomore first baseman Danielle Linke led the way for Mt. SAC with four RBI while going 3 for 3 on the day.

The game started as a pitching battle with neither defense giving any leeway. Marauders pitcher Ashley Arnett started with four strikeouts in the first three innings while stranding four Mt. SAC runners. The Mounties broke the shutout and got it going with a big inning in the fourth batting through the lineup. With one out retired, sophomore second baseman Jessica Meza singled to right and then stole second. Freshman pitcher Shelair Rowell walked to reach first and was replaced by pinch runner Stephanie Cruz. After a second out, Mt. SAC mounted a rally. Freshman center fielder Randie Baldwin singled up the middle scoring the first run of the game. Freshman right fielder Kadie Baldwin followed her sister with a single through the right side for another RBI to score Cruz. Linke piled it on with a triple down the right field line for another two runs. Freshman shortstop Francesca Gonzales finished off the big inning with an RBI single through the right side to score Linke and take a big 5-0 lead.

The scoring continued in the fifth. Freshman center fielder Lucia Rodriguez doubled to left. Randie Baldwin laid down a sacrifice bunt that was mishandled by the Marauder infielder moving Rodriguez to third and Baldwin to second. Kadie Baldwin hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Rodriguez. The Mounties finished it off with the seventh and eighth run off of Linke’s single to left ending the game via the eight run rule. Rowell earned the win for Mt. SAC allowing just three hits while striking out four batters for her tenth win this season.

Antelope Valley falls to 46-8 and goes to the elimination bracket to face the winner of the Sierra and Sacramento City game. The Marauders will play again Saturday at 2:00 pm. Mt. SAC improves to 52-7 and into the semifinals where they will face Cypress in a rematch of the 2006 State Championship final. Mt. SAC beat Cypress earlier this season 3-4. The two will face off again Saturday night at 7:00 pm.