Softball: Rodarte And Reynoso Shut Out Saxons, Limit Them To One-Hit In Two Games

Recap, photo courtesy of Pomona-Pitzer

CLAREMONT, CA. – The Pomona-Pitzer Softball program extended their winning streak to six games on Friday evening after sweeping Alfred University in a doubleheader at home with a 2-0 and 6-0 victory. Both Sagehens' pitchers Liz Rodarte and Alondra Reynoso were lights out in the circle, throwing complete game shutouts and allowing a combined one hit. Reynoso earned her second no-hitter of her career to complete the sweep, striking out six batters while Rodarte batted 4-for-8 in two games with three RBIs.

Pomona-Pitzer 2, Alfred 0
Liz Rodarte had a phenomenal performance on the mound, throwing seven shutout innings, allowing only one hit and striking out seven. Olivia Campion was the offensive hero of the afternoon, bringing in the game's only runs with a 2-run line drive single in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Rodarte didn't open the game like she wanted, putting the leadoff batter on base, but calmly retired
the next three to end the first inning. In the top of the second inning, with one out, Rodarte placed another batter on base with a misthrow, and saw her advance off a sacrifice bunt. However, she denied them the chance to score after inducing a pop fly to get out of the second inning. Rodarte cruised the next four innings, retiring the next 12 out of 14 batters, not allowing a single runner past second base.

In the top of the third inning, Hannah Brajkovich showed off her defensive prowess in the outfield, getting a great read off a lead-off line drive by Alfred's Sydney Saucedo to make the catch.

The Sagehens finally struck in the bottom of the fifth when Liz Rodarte led off with a hard-hit infield single. Later with two outs, Izzy Deatherage and Makensey Druckman reached on back-to-back singles to load the bases. Campion seized the opportunity with a hard-hit line drive to left field to bring in two runs and give the Sagehens the 2-0 lead.

Rodarte continued to cruise on the mound, striking out the last two batters for her eighth win of the season.

Pomona-Pitzer 6, Alfred 0
Reynoso continued the blanking of the Saxons with a no-hitter with six strikeouts in the second half of the doubleheader, tampering the opposing batters with ease. She set the tone early on the mound, retiring the first nine batters before a Saxon reached in the top of the fourth off an error. 

The Sagehens got on board early in the bottom of the second with bases loaded and two outs, when Rodarte drilled a hard one-hopper to second that was mishandled and brought in two runs. Hong followed with a single down the middle of the field to give the Sagehens a 3-0 lead.

With a runner on third in the bottom of the 4^th inning and one out, Michelle Calcany Blair attempted to execute a suicide squeeze. Her bunt paid off tremendously as the pitcher overthrew to first as the runner scored easily, and Blair flashed her speed by rounding to third.

Rodarte followed with an RBI single to right field to extend the lead 5-0.

Later in the bottom of the fifth with two outs and runners in the corners, first year Katy Hurley came in to pinch-hit and laced a hard grounder to second to make it 6-0.

Reynoso continued to deal, retiring six of the last seven batters in the final two innings to seal the victory.