Orange Coast College

Softball: Pirates come close, but fall to Riverside

Thursday, April 09, 2009

RIVERSIDE -- The Orange Coast College softball team posted its best effort on Wednesday night against Orange Empire Conference standout Riverside College.

However, a sixth-inning lead evaporated into the night as the Pirates fell 8-7 to the Tigers.

Still playing without the services of leading hitter Nicole Silva, the Pirates (7-23, 0-17 in OEC) rallied from a 5-0 deficit and scored six consecutive runs to take a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth.

The highlight of the night came in the fifth. With OCC trailing 5-1, Katrina Gaar (1-for-4, two runs) got things going when she reached on an error. Kursten Evanski (2-for-3, one run, two RBI) followed with a double to left-center, scoring Gaar to make it 5-2. Kiele Brown (3-for-4, two runs) singled to left, sending Evanski to third and Candice Arevalo followed with a line-drive home run over the left-field fence, tying the game at 5.

In the sixth, Gaar again started things by reaching on an error and after stealing second, she scored on an RBI infield single by Evanski, giving OCC a 6-5 advantage.

But the Tigers (31-9, 13-4) answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to give the hosts a 7-6 lead.

OCC again took advantage of defensive miscues by the Tigers (six errors in the game) and tied the game at 7 in the top of the seventh. Kayse Potter walked and when Kristin Bassler's batted ball was kicked around, Potter scampered home to tie things up.

But Riverside would get the last laugh when a two-base error a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly plated the winning run, sending the Pirates home with a loss.

OCC returns to action on Friday at home against Saddleback, beginning at 2 p.m.