KNIGHTS HANG ON FOR 9-8 WIN OVER GROSSMONT

After dropping the first two games of the season and then having either to cancel or postpone several others because of rain, the Knights have won two straight, including Monday's 9-8 home victory over Grossmont. 

City improved to 2-2 overall and 2-0 in the PCAC. Zoe Manjarrez went 2-for-4 on the day with three RBI. 

Carley Grant and Alexis Gonzalez also went 2-for-4 and both drove in two runs a piece. 

Grossmont took the early lead by scoring two runs in the top of the first. The Knights got one back in the bottom of the first on an RBI-single from Gonzalez. 

The Knights were trailing, 3-1, in the bottom of the third when their bats came alive to produce the four runs that gave them the lead. 

Grant brought in the first run of the inning with a triple to left field. Pitcher Sabrina Figueroa helped her own cause by following Grant with an RBI single. Later in the inning with runners in scoring position, Manjarrez hit a deep fly that was dropped by Grossmont's left fielder and allowed both runners to score. 

In the fourth inning with two out, Gonzalez singled in another run. Two batters later, Manjarrez brought in two more runs with a single to left field that gave City an 8-3 lead. 

Grant tacked on City's ninth run in the fifth on an RBI-single through the right side. 

Figueroa retired the side in the sixth inning, but then struggled to finish off the Griffins in the 7th. Grossmont scored five runs off six straight hits to pull within a run, but Figueroa got the next three batters out on a sac bunt, a strikeout, and a force out at second to end the rally and secure the victory. 

The Knights will play the next two conference games on the road at Imperial Valley on Wednesday and at Mesa on Friday.