SIERRA STOPS LONG CSM SB STREAKS IN REMATCH
SAN MATEO ? A pair of almost year-long College of San Mateo softball streaks finally ended Monday afternoon. Sierra College (8-1) avenged its last two losses ? both to the Bulldogs -- with a 5-3 comeback victory on a sunny but cold afternoon at College Heights.
SIERRA STOPS LONG CSM SB STREAKS IN REMATCH
SAN MATEO – A pair of almost year-long College of San Mateo softball streaks finally ended Monday afternoon. Sierra College (8-1) avenged its last two losses – both to the Bulldogs -- with a 5-3 comeback victory on a sunny but cold afternoon at College Heights.
San Mateo (7-2) had defeated all Northern California foes this season -- and had a 22-game streak against regional foes stretching back to March 22, when the Bulldogs were edged, 5-4, at Monterey Peninsula College. CSM had won 22 straight home games, going back to a doubleheader split with Shasta College on March 10. (The new streak started with a 6-1 win over Shasta after the Knights had edged the Bulldogs, 2-0.)
CSM had taken a 2-0 lead in the first inning Monday but let Sierra comeback with a 4-run fifth inning.
CSM leadoff batter Aubrie Businger drew a walk and Brittany Prock singled to begin the game. Businger scored on a single by Riley Donovan and Prock was doubled home by Kaylyn Sterling.
Sierra got back in contention in the third inning on Virgie Robello's solo homer over the centerfield fence. San Mateo outhit the Wolverines, 7-5, but committed three errors. Two came in the crucial fifth frame, which featured run-scoring doubles by Robello and Bailynn Meeks.
The Bulldogs rallied in the bottom of the seventh. Bella Zalba started it with a double and scored on a single by Mandy Ubois-Weitenhagen. Businger reached on an error and Prock singled before Sierra pitcher Holly Brennan (3-0) got CSM batting leader Kaitlyn Grech to ground out to third base to end it.
It was the first season loss for San Mateo's Emily McAdams (2-1), who struck out five but gave up four hits and four earned runs over 4 1/3 innings of work. Prock allowed a single hit in 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief.
--STRONG SCHEDULE FEATURED 3 STATE CHAMPS: San Mateo's NorCal streak had included two wins over Sierra. The Bulldogs eliminated the 2014 state champion Wolverines during the 2018 state tournament in Bakersfield, 9-4, and then beat them, 5-0, in the first game at San Mateo this year. CSM opened the current season with a win over defending state champion Mt. San Antonio and had only lost to 2016 state winner Santiago Canyon
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Contact: Fred Baer baerf@smccd.edu