Walnut, Calif. – A trip to the state championship on the line. Familiar conference competitors. Intensity under the hot California sun. The matchup had all the makings of a playoff classic.

But despite strong starts in both games and several clutch performances throughout the weekend, Mt. SAC fell just short as Long Beach swept the best-of-three series with a 5-4 victory on Friday and an 11-7 win on Saturday, bringing the Mounties' season to a heartbreaking end.

Mt. SAC entered the weekend as the No. 4 seed in Southern California after putting together an impressive regular season, while Long Beach earned the No. 5 seed, finishing just one game behind Mt. SAC in conference standings.

The teams were no strangers to one another, having already met three times during the season. Mt. SAC dominated the first two matchups, winning 15-0 in February and 4-0 in March before the Vikings answered back with a 9-4 victory in April. By the time the postseason arrived, there were no secrets left between the two conference rivals.

GAME 1: Long Beach 5, Mt. SAC 4

Game one looked promising early for the Mounties thanks to the hot bat of Emily Sandoval. The freshman launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to give Mt. SAC an immediate spark and a 2-0 lead.

Long Beach responded in the second inning to tie the game, but the Mounties regained control in the fourth when Isabella Aspeitia delivered a clutch two-run hit to score Desiree Morales and Natalie Valiente, putting Mt. SAC back in front 4-2.

The Vikings chipped away with a run in the fifth before capitalizing on late opportunities in the seventh inning. A combination of Mt. SAC mishaps and timely hitting allowed Long Beach to rally for two runs and steal the lead late in the game.

Despite a strong outing from starting pitcher Zoe Herford, who threw six innings with five strikeouts and allowed just two earned runs, the Mounties were unable to answer in the bottom half as Long Beach secured the narrow 5-4 win.

GAME 2: Long Beach 11, Mt. SAC 7

This was a game that "coulda woulda shoulda" belonged to the Mounties, and for part of the time, it did. But Long Beach once again had Mt. SAC's number, pulling off back-to-back wins.

Same story as the day before, Sandoval opened the game with a two-run homer to put the Mounties up in the top of the first. Desiree Morales followed it up with a single that with a few Long Beach miscues scored Marti Ann Leach as the Mounties led 3-0.

Long Beach got their first run of the game on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third, bringing the score to 3-1.

Then, Isabella Aspeitia continued her impressive postseason with a solo home run in the fourth inning to add some cushion and extend the advantage to 4-1.

But just as they had in game one, the Vikings responded with a momentum-shifting inning. Long Beach exploded for six runs in the fifth, highlighted by a three-run home run from Lela Haugo that flipped the game in the Vikings' favor.

The Mounties refused to back down. Vanessa Tamayo drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before Angelina Martinez ripped a double that scored Sarai Raygoza and Brooklyn Game, tying the game at 7-7 in the sixth inning and bringing the home crowd back to life.

Unfortunately for the Mounties, Long Beach answered once more in the bottom half of the inning with four runs, including a two-run homer from Zara Mineo that proved to be the final blow. Mt. SAC's season came to an emotional close on their home field as the Vikings advanced to Bakersfield for the state championship tournament.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

While the ending was not the one the Mounties envisioned, the 2026 season was filled with accomplishments and memorable moments. Mt. SAC finished the year with an outstanding 31-13 overall record while establishing itself as one of the top offensive teams in the state.

The Mounties scored 372 runs on 432 hits, including 93 doubles and 38 home runs, while driving in 346 runs and stealing 62 bases. As a team, Mt. SAC posted a .370 batting average, a .457 on-base percentage, and a .562 slugging percentage. Defensively and in the circle, the Mounties recorded 14 shutouts while holding opponents to a .217 batting average.

Several student-athletes also earned postseason recognition for their success both on the field and in the classroom. Emily Sandoval, Sarai Raygoza, and Amanda Porterfield were named First Team All-South Coast Conference selections, while Zoe Herford and Desiree Morales earned Second Team honors. Angelina Martinez, Karissa Blanco, and Marti Ann Leach received Honorable Mention recognition.

Raygoza, Sandoval, and Porterfield were also named to the 3CFCA All-Southern Team, while Raygoza earned NFCA All-American honors. Vanessa Hawks was recognized as 3CFCA Pitcher of the Week following her no-hitter earlier in the season.

The Mounties also excelled academically throughout the year. Amanda Porterfield, Vanessa Tamayo, Sophia Sanchez, Bella Aspeitia, and Natalie Valiente earned Academic All-State honors, while Hailey Montoya, Bryonna Velasco, Vanessa Tamayo, Natalie Valiente, Sarai Raygoza, Bella Aspeitia, Sophia Sanchez, Amanda Porterfield, and Karissa Blanco were recognized as Academic All-Americans.

NEXT UP:

Thank you for supporting Mt. SAC Softball throughout the year. The Mounties will be back — and ready to chase another championship run in 2027.

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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.