The Hornets softball team bring their winning streak to six games with wins against the visiting LA Mission Eagles 1-0 and Grossmont Griffins 7-0.

The Hornet had won the previous five games coming into the doubleheader.

“We kept the momentum going,” Hornets head coach Marian “Speedy” Mendoza said on the team’s moral entering the doubleheader.

Fullerton began the doubleheader against LA Mission Eagles. The Hornets gained the first out of the game with a pop fly catch by sophomore catcher Veronica Garza. The top of the first was completed with two strikeouts by freshman pitcher Jessica Lopez.

Leadoff hitter and shortstop Sabrina Anguiano continued the energy into the bottom of the first inning. She hit a home run scoring what would be the first and only run of the game.

“I feel like I could have done better when you can’t get another solid hit after that,” said Anguiano.

The bottom of the second inning came to an abrupt end for the Hornets after an interference call by the umpires added the third out for Fullerton with one player left on base.

This did not deter the Hornets focus as they pulled together and continued to get three outs in a row until the sixth inning.

“I didn’t want to give them a free base so I kept trying to battle and really zone in,” said Lopez about her pitching against the Eagles.

In the bottom of the sixth, LA Mission sophomore Julissa Rodriguez hit a double off Lopez with two outs. Hornet Sophomore Anabel Mendez got the first two outs of the inning with fly ball catches in the outfield. The Eagles chance at scoring a run ended with Anguiano’s catch and throw to first base for the third out.

In the final inning, the Eagles fought to keep the game going. Lopez threw 10 pitches to the final batter and ended the game with strike three.

The Hornets went on to win the game against the Eagles 1-0.

“We will make adjustments to have more quality at-bats,” Coach Crystal Aguirre said about the team’s focus for their second game of the day.

Game 2

In the Hornet’s second game of the day, they faced the Grossmont Griffins.

Lopez started the inning by striking out the first two Griffins in six pitches. After giving a walk, the third out came from a fly ball catch by center fielder Kaylee Williamson.

Lopez bounced back in the second inning by striking out the side.

The Hornets had two players on base in the first inning and one player in the second inning when the third out was called.

“We had a lot of fly balls out there that are normally base hits,” Mendoza said.

Coach Mendoza stated that the team’s focus will be on pitch selection after today’s game.

Fullerton’s momentum at-bat started in the third inning. Outfielder Anabel Mendez hit a triple with a missed catch by the Griffins outfielder bringing the score to 2-0. Mendez’s triple brought Anguiano and Williams to home plate and she earned two RBIs.

“When we needed a hit we got a hit,” Mendez said of her team’s performance.

Freshman utility player Jocelyn Alcala added to the scoreboard in the fourth inning by capitalizing on a dropped catch by Grossmont’s center fielder. Alcala hit a double and earned an RBI with infielder Sarah Rengifo bringing the score to 3-0.

The Hornets were able to get nine Griffins out in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings with Lopez throwing strikes and both the infield and outfield catching fly balls.

“I was tired from the last one but I didn’t want to let that get to my head. I knew I had to push through for my team,” Lopez said of her performance in the second game.

Fullerton scored one more run in the fifth inning with an RBI single by first baseman Khloe Lilavois. Her single brought catcher Veronica Garza to home base and the score 4-0.

The Hornets scored their final three runs against Grossmont in the sixth inning. Fullerton players Alcala, Anguiano and utility player Angelina Valles earned an RBI each by bringing their teammates to home base.

The Griffins tried to get some momentum going with a one-out single in the top of the seventh. They were shut down with two consecutive outs, ending the game.

Fullerton controlled the game from start to finish an added yet another victory for the day with a shouout win over Griffins 7-0.

“Jess did a great job pitching. She pitched Orange Coast on Friday and then pitched two games today,” said Mendoza about Lopez’s pitching performance in the doubleheader.

Prior to the start of the game, a moment of silence was held in honor of Hornet outfielder Josh Sanchez who was recently injured.

The Hornets’ next game is at home on Wednesday, March 13 against Riverside at 3 p.m.