Originally written for publishing on March 16, 2013.
Home field does not prove to be much of an advantage as the Hornets softball team struggled Friday to hit, pitch and field in a 14-0 blowout loss to Cypress. The Hornet’s largest loss of the season lasted only five innings and was the third time this season that the offense has been shut out.
It was an afternoon where nothing seemed to go right for the Hornets (3-15, 1-6 OEC) and fielding was the primary culprit. The defense committed five errors in the game, three coming in a seven-run fourth inning.
“We didn’t give them a game today. We made it real easy for them,” said Hornet Co-Head Coach Lisa Bassi. “Until we can get consistent pitching and more consistent defense, we’re going to continue to struggle.”
The fourth inning was a particular struggle as the Hornets seemingly could not find a way to get off the field. The top of the fourth saw three Hornet pitchers face 13 Cypress batters. Fullerton’s first baseman Nicole Chapman and second baseman Andrea Enriques had hits bounce off their gloves for errors on consecutive plays, essentially ending the day for starting pitcher Shailee Boehmer.
Hornet pitcher Elizabeth Serrano entered the game with the bases loaded but struggled with her command. After giving up a two run line drive, she had trouble finding the strike zone, throwing a pitch in the dirt and walking the bases loaded again. This lead to a 2-2 pitch that the opposing Cypress pitcher Alyssia Palamino blasted just over the left field fence, 190 feet out for a grand slam.
Hornet pitcher Alyssa Felipe was brought in to finish the game after Serrano was tagged with two earned runs on three batters faced. Felipe fared better, allowing one hit and one walk to the eight batters she faced. Boehmer was hit with the brunt of the Charger’s scoring; giving up four hits, five walks and 11 runs, although only two were earned.
“I didn’t hit my spots,” Boehmer said after the game. “I think it’s a mental game right now. Figuring out how to limit the mistakes and keep ourselves up when we do make mistakes.”
After digging themselves another early deficit, giving up four runs in the top of the second, the Hornets managed to load the bases with two out in the bottom half of the inning. A pop up to shallow right field ended the threat and the Hornets were unable to get any base runners past second the rest of the way. The Hornets struggled most of the day against the Charger pitching, which allowed only three hits and one walk on the afternoon.
“I think we were all just off,” said shortstop Felisha Gomez, who also had two errors in the game. “It goes back to the mental thing. We have to get ahead of the game.”
The Hornets hope to put their four game losing streak to bed Monday against the Golden West Rustlers. The game will be played at the Fullerton College softball field beginning at 3 p.m.
