Cuesta Softball battled the College of the Canyons in make-up doubleheader and picked up a pair of wins over their fellow Cougars, 9-5 and 14-6. Canyons struck first in both games, but the Cougars pulled out the sweep on the bats of Shortstop Danya Boyd and First Baseman Maddie Sheadel, while Pitcher Sienna Lowry earned the decision at both ends of the twinbill. Canyons jumped out early in the opener and led, 5-2, going into the bottom of the 5th, but the Cougars erased that lead in one inning. In their fifth turn at bat, all-WSC Shortstop Danya Boyd (pict) slugged her first of two home runs on the day to lead-off the inning and ignited the Cougars' comeback. Cuesta posted seven runs in the frame to take the lead, as Boyd was just getting started. The seven-run inning powered the Cougars to a 9-7 victory in the opener.
In the nightcap, Boyd was a single short of "Hitting for the Cycle" after slugging a double, triple and her second home run of the day. The "Other" Cougars walked her once, but she still went 3-for-3, while driving in eight runs. Across the infield, First Baseman Maddie Shaedel took advantage of hitting ahead of Boyd and went 5-for-6 on the day, while driving in three runs of her own and being plated by Boyd four times. In the opener, Lowry didn't toe the rubber until the 4th inning with the Cougars down, 5-2. Over her 3-plus innings in the circle, she allowed only one-hit and no runs on her way to victory. She also started the finale and allowed just three hits, before handing the final inning off to the bullpen to protect her nine-run lead. Canyons rallied against the bullpen and nearly cut Cuesta's lead in half, but the Cougars tacked up four more runs in the bottom of the 5th to close out the 14-6 run-rule victory*.
The Cougars, who went almost three weeks without a contest, due to weather, have a full slate of games coming up. Cuesta hosts Antelope Valley for a doubleheader this Thursday (12/2 PM) and is just a week away from their Western State Conference opener. The Cougars host defending WSC Champion Moorpark on March 6 (2:30), before heading to Fresno for a make-up non-conference doubleheader that Saturday (12/2 PM). Cuesta is now 5-4 on the season.
*Run-Rule- Eight-run lead after five complete innings
