(Walnut, CA) The Mt. SAC Softball team moved on to the 3C2A SoCal finals for the 16th time in the last 18 times, with identical 13-0 scores over visiting San Diego Mesa on Friday and Saturday, May 3, 4.
The two-game sweep was the second straight year the Mounties (34-8) have defeated the Olympians in two games in the SoCal Regional first round.
Both games were five-inning mercy-rule victories.
Mt. SAC, the #4 Seed, will host South Coast Conference opponent and #5 Seed, El Camino (30-12) in another best two out of three series in the So Cal Finals on Friday, May 10. El Camino defeated Moorpark in a two-game sweep.
The Mounties faced El Camino three times in the regular season, winning all three games.
The end-of-the-year awards included three Mounties who were named to the All-3C2A State and So Call teams recently.
Sophomore third baseman Janis Espinoza was named to the All-State South team for the second consecutive year, while freshman Morgan Kneubuhler and sophomore Gabrielle Flores were named to the All-3C2A Southern team.
In game one on Friday, the Mounties wasted little time scoring with six runs in the first inning, another five in the second, and two more in the third for the 13-0 lead.
Sophomore Aleyna Urbina (2 H, 3 Ks) picked up the first of two wins in the series pitching the first two innings and sophomore Dallas Garcia (5 H, 4 Ks) finished the last three innings.
Flores (3-3, R, 2 RBIs, 2B) led the offensive charge, as the Mounties had 12 hits.
The Mounties sent 12 players to the plate in the first, scoring six runs on only three hits.
In the five-run second, two runs (Sofia Femath, Kneubuhler) came across on a wild pitch, and sophomore second baseman Amanda Esquivel (1-2, 2 R, 2 RBIs, HR) hit a two-run home run to highlight the inning.
"It feels pretty remarkable to be back," said Esquivel, who played her freshman year at Mt. SAC on the 2018 state championship team. "The kind of team chemistry that we have kind of reminds me of the last team (2018). That's a good sign and it's good that when I came back to finish what I started here at Mt. SAC I'm able to do it with such an amazing group of girls.
"I think just carrying on what we did this weekend into next weekend, we'll be ok."
Espinoza (2-3, R, RBI, 2B) and freshman Mercedes Alba (2-2, R) added two hits each for Mt. SAC.
It was déjà vu all over again in game two, with another five-inning 13-0 win.
Another two big scoring innings doomed the Olympians, as the Mounties scored seven runs in the third and six in the fourth.
The runs were aided by two errors, nine walks, and two hit batters in the five innings.
Urbina (12-6 overall) in the circle went five innings, scattering four hits and striking out five batters.
Espinoza (2-2, R, 2 RBIs, 2B, SB) led with two hits, while Alba hit her seventh home run of the season. It was a three-run no-doubter in the third inning, scoring Alyssa Rubalcava (1-3, R, RBI) and Espinoza.
Highlighting the six-run fourth was a two-run double by sophomore Emily Bechtel, scoring Esquivel and sophomore center fielder Rianna de la Barcena. In addition, Femath and Kneubuhler both scored on bases-loaded walks.
"I think it's great," said Kneubuhler, of the first-round victory. "We're so tight as a team. I'm super excited and I think we can go all the way."
