QUEZADA HOMERS TO SEND MARAUDERS INTO EXTRA INNINGS IN COMEBACK WIN OVER CANYONS

AVC Softball opened its conference schedule on Thursday with an 8-7 win over rival College of the Canyons. The victory marked the third straight win over the Cougars dating back to March of last year. The comeback win took an extra inning to complete and played out in dramatic fashion.

AVC fell behind 3-0 in the 2nd inning. Canyons looked poised to hand the Marauders a loss after adding another 4 runs in the 3rd inning. Down 7-0 in the third, Antelope Valley went to work. Helena Loera checked into the circle and effectively shut the Cougar's offense down. She pitched the rest of the game, striking out 9 batters in just over five innings of relief. Offensively, Cadence Crampton chipped into the lead with a 2-RBI double to make it 7-2. AVC added 3 runs in the 4th inning. Gianna Mancilla scored off a single from Emily Centeno, Jolene Miramontes drew a walk to push in Rebecca Sanchez, and Crampton recorded her third RBI with a sacrifice fly to score Centeno.

The Marauders pulled within a run in the fifth inning with another RBI single from Centeno. Trailing 7-6 and down to their last out in the bottom of the seventh, Angelina Quezada sent the game into extra innings with a solo blast over the scoreboard in left-center. It was the second home run of the season for the freshman outfielder from Highland High. After the Marauders held off the Cougars in the top of the 8th, Emily Centeno completed the comeback win with a walk-off hit to score Natasha Arroyo. Centeno finished 3-for-5 with 3 RBI. Crampton also finished with 3 RBI, while Natalia Hernandez went 2-for-4. Arroyo, Miramontes, and Kylie Zinn also recorded hits. AVC finished with 10 hits and no errors on the day. 

The Marauders improved to 10-8-1 and will play a doubleheader on the road at Cypress on Saturday before returning home to battle Glendale College in another conference game on Tuesday, March 12, at 2:30 pm.