Softball swept visiting Hartnell to conclude the Cougars' pre-conference home schedule.  Cuesta shutout Hartnell in the opener, 5-0, and routed the Panthers in the nightcap in a run-rule victory, 11-1. 

 The Cougars pitching depth was on display against Hartnell.  Sophomore Right-hander Kat Cline authored her first complete game shutout of the season and only let one batter past second base in the game.  Cline was in complete control in her four-hit whitewashing and never allowed more than one baserunner in any inning.   Shortstop Josie Simas keyed the Cougars' offense for Cline.  She smacked a one-out triple in the 1^st inning and scored a passed ball to account for the only run of the first four innings.  Cline shined on that slim margin, but got some breathing room when the Cougars posted four runs on four hits, and a sacrifice fly from Simas, in the 5^th inning.  

In the nightcap, Freshman Righthander Maddy Mata did not allow an earned run and allowed only two hits in her abbreviated game.  The Panthers lone run scored on a trio of errors to start the 3^rd inning and helped Hartnell's Aleena Borunda round the bases.  Borunda began her at bat with foul pop dropped by the Cuesta catcher and, with new life, she hit a grounder to third, which was also flubbed and provided her a free pass to 2^nd base.  Borunda moved to 3^rd on a sacrifice bunt, but came home to score on another throwing error for the Panthers only run of the day.  Mata lost her shutout, but still had a no-hitter in play, however the Panthers posted a single in each of their last two fruitless at bats.  The Cougars answered in the 4^th with an 8-run, 9-hit outburst to put the game out of reach and took the necessary 8-run lead for a quick victory.  On offense, Second Baseman Bailee Crawford and Catcher Claire Lohayza were both 3-for-3 in the game and each scored a pair of runs, while Crawford also drove in a run and Lohayza drove in two more. 

 The Cougars are 12-6 and have already eclipsed their season win total from both of the past two seasons.  The Cougars head to Cerritos for their final pre-conference game next Friday (2 PM).  Cuesta Coach Jenel Guadangno will enjoy the homecoming, she began her collegiate playing and coaching career with the Falcons.  Cuesta begins Western State Conference play at Moorpark on March 5 (2:30) and does not return home until March 10 (2:30), when they host WSC foe Pierce