(Walnut, CA) Mt. SAC freshman third baseman Janis Espinoza hit a one-out double in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the Mounties to a 3-2 come-from-behind non-conference win over CCCAA No. 1-ranked Palomar on Saturday (April 8).
"Honestly, I couldn't have done it without my teammates," Espinoza said. "Ashley Diaz was able to put us on the board and that gave me an opportunity to keep things simple. I just tried to focus on the pitcher and myself and went from there."
The loss was the first of the season for Palomar, which came into the game with a perfect 25-0 record.
With the win, No. 5 state-ranked Mt. SAC improves to 24-5 overall.
"Every day is a challenge and (Saturday) we knew we were going to see a competitive team and the girls were focused," Mt. SAC assistant coach Jim Bollier said. "We struggled the first few innings and ended up pulling it out in the end. It's about how you finish."
Trailing, 2-0, in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, Mt. SAC sophomore centerfielder Ashley Diaz (2 for 3, Dbl., HR, 2 RBIs) hit a two-run home run, scoring pinch runner Emily Barba to tie the game, 2-2, and send the game into extra innings.
"It was an incredible feeling," said Diaz, of the home run. "I've never had a feeling like that.
"I was in the same situation the last time we played them, and I told myself, 'You're not going to be the third out again' and I told myself to win each pitch and that's what I did."
Diaz ended the game in the seventh inning against Palomar the first time the two top teams met two weeks ago with a strikeout, as the Comets won, 2-1.
Mt. SAC sophomore designated player Brianna Goris reached base on a single to set up the game-tying home run.
In the eighth inning for the Mounties, sophomore shortstop Katelyn Olson hit a one-out single to left center, stole second, and came home with the winning run on Espinoza's winning hit to right center.
Palomar took a 1-0 lead in the second inning and extended its lead with another run in the seventh.
Mt. SAC freshman starter Aleyna Urbina went the first six innings, allowing a run and striking out four, before reliever Miranda Rodriquez (8-0) pitched the final two innings and won her eighth game of the season.
Palomar pitcher India Caldwell (17-1) suffered her first loss of the season.
