Rapoza records 400th career win with Ramirez no-hitter
TORRANCE - It was a historic day at the El Camino College Softball Field as head coach Jessica Rapoza earned her 400th career win on a no-hitter in an 8-0 non-conference win over L.A. Mission in five innings.
Sophomore pitcher Lexi Ramirez continued her torrid start to the season in the circle as she tossed the first Warriors' no-hitter since 1990 in recorded history. She logged her second straight complete-game shutout as she struck out seven hitters and allowed three walks. In three games to start the year, Ramirez has fanned 21 batters in 15 innings of work and while allowing just five hits in that span. She is the first Warriors pitcher to throw a no-hitter since ECC Hall-of-Famer Candy Carrico in 1990. The feat comes one game after Ramirez matched Carrico's program record of 10 strikeouts in a game.
As for Rapoza, she has reached the 400-win mark in her 15th season and 10th year at ECC. She logged 135 wins in five seasons at Santa Ana College and has now recorded 265 wins in 10 years with the Warriors. She celebrated her 250th career win at ECC last season with a win at Pasadena on April 4, 2024. To date, Rapoza has amassed a 400-103-2 overall record in 15 years of coaching and a 265-115-1 mark at ECC.
In Thursday's game, the Warriors pounded out nine hits and scored in every inning. Savanna Kastigar led the offense with three hits and four RBI with two stolen bases. Dusty Gamboa also had three hits with three RBI while Cheyenne Navarro and Anahi Pintado scored two runs apiece.
The Warriors also got timely hitting as five of their eight runs came on hits with two outs in the inning.
Ramirez did the rest as she allowed just four runners to reach base on three walks and one error. She allowed just two baserunners after the first inning.
The Warriors will hit the road for their next two games beginning on Tuesday at Santa Ana with first pitch scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
MORE ON RAPOZA
During Rapoza's current tenure with the Warriors that began in 2015, the team has had unprecedented success. The Warriors have made the playoffs every year that was completed since 2015. In 2020, there was no postseason after the COVID-19 Pandemic caused the cancellation of the remaining schedule, leaving ECC with just 20 games played that year. There was no season in 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Warriors have recorded 30-win campaigns in five of her previous nine years as coach with the 2020 season getting cancelled after 20 games due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Warriors have won the conference title in four of the last nine years with Rapoza at the helm and have accounted for four of the five conference titles in program history, the other coming in 1989.
In 2018, the team advanced to the CCCAA State Championships for the first time in program history. The Warriors would finish tied for fifth place in the state after going 1-2 at the CCCAA State Championships.
(Rafael Guerrero, El Camino College Athletics)