San Mateo Escapes Division Rival Ohlone and Stays Alive in State Championships
Team Stats
Glendora, CA - NorCal No. 1 College of San Mateo escaped their Coast Conference North Division rival Ohlone College (NorCal No. 3) in their first elimination game of the 2018 CCCAA State Softball Championships. The Bulldogs used a four-run second inning to overcome an early deficit and then held on late as Ohlone had a chance to tie the game up in the top of the seventh.
Ohlone (34-13) drew first blood on the afternoon when freshman Karen Didio singled in sophomore Meida Tauatalatasi to give the Renegades a 1-0 lead. It would take an inning and two-thirds for the Bulldogs to respond, but when they did, they did so in a big way. After the first two batters of the second inning grounded out, San Mateo (39-5) got singles from sophomore Madeline Morris and freshman Leaness Donn with a walk by sophomore Emily Cotla in between loaded up the bases. Seconds later, sophomore Allie Stines hit a bases clearing grand slam that gave San Mateo a 4-1 lead.
The Renegades would try to start working their way back into the game starting in the top of the third. Didio did the deed again with a bases loaded RBI walk. In the top of the fourth it was Tauatalatasi roped a single to left field that scored freshman Ana Beard and made it 3-4.
With Ohlone charging, San Mateo gave itself some breathing room when sophomore Mackenzie Driscoll followed up a ground rule double by sophomore Lauren Quirke, with a single to center field. In the top of the sixth, San Mateo freshman pitcher Emily McAdams retired the Renegades side in order. In the to of the seventh, McAdams would get a pop up and a strikeout to start things off. The Renegades would make one last ditch effort with a single and a Bulldog error that put runners on the corners. McAdams settled in though and got the last batter to foul out to end the game.
In the win, McAdams (17-2) would go all seven innings giving up five hits and two walks. McAdams struck out three Ohlone hitters and gave up just three total runs, two of which were earned. At the plater Quirke would finish 2-for-2 with a run, with Morris going 2-for-3 with a run. For Ohlone, Tauatalatasi was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and an RBI.
With the win, San Mateo survives for at least one more game and will take on Sierra College (NorCal No. 2) tonight at Mt. SAC at 7:00 PM.
