Lopez Supplies 3 Home Runs As Odessa College Sweeps Pratt Community College
The Odessa College sophomore left fielder admitted she wants to jump on the first pitch.
Lopez used that formula to supply three home runs as the Lady Wranglers swept Pratt Community College (Kan.), 12-0 and 14-2, on Thursday at the OC Softball Complex.
"I always feel pretty confident," Lopez said. "The first pitch is always my go-to pitch. If I like it, I'm swinging."
The sweep also gave interim head coach Karina Cannon her first two home wins.
Cannon was pleased with the team's approach at the plate with 32 hits and five walks on the day. The Lady Wranglers turned those hits into multiple scoring opportunities. Odessa College scored at least two or more runs in six of eight innings.
"It was certainly the outcome that I was looking for," Cannon said. "We focused on being a team and being together and manufacturing runs as a whole."
In the opener, Odessa College didn't give the Beavers many opportunities to plate runs.
Winter Ridgeway — a sophomore from Seattle — threw five shutout innings and struck out six. Her lone blemish was a double to Marisa Jonas in the fourth inning.
On the flipside, the Lady Wranglers piled on 12 runs in four innings. Vanessa Muro, Taylor Fogle and Lopez each supplied home runs. All nine batters for Odessa College had at least one hit.
Though the Lady Wranglers rolled to a victory to kick off the doubleheader, Muro said the team didn't let up in the second game.
Pratt Community College scored its only two runs when Bailey Young posted a two-out, two-run single, but that was all the team could muster. Young's two-run single also marked the lone hit for the Beavers in the second game.
"We just picked up right where we were from the first game," Muro said. "We started out strong. They scored two runs in the first inning, but we bounced back."
The Lady Wranglers bounced back immediately with an inside-the-park home run from leadoff hitter Hope Deanda.
That quick spark helped Odessa College score 14 unanswered runs. The Lady Wranglers took a 3-2 lead after the first inning with an RBI triple and RBI double from Christina Valdez and Muro, respectively.
Odessa College posted 16 hits — nine for extra bases. The Wranglers pulled away for good after a seven-run second inning, which included a three-run home run that ricocheted off the scoreboard in left field from the left-handed Lopez. The sophomore left fielder from La Habra, Calif., supplied her final home run over the center field wall.
"We have a solid lineup," Lopez said. "When we are all on, everybody gets up and we have good energy going."
The Lady Wranglers continue their season with five games at the Midland College Classic beginning today and a doubleheader against Vernon College on Sunday at the OC Softball Complex.
Odessa College opens the Midland College Classic against Trinidad State Junior College at 11:30 a.m. today.
"This weekend we have another seven games to play," Cannon said. "We want to get everyone on the field. We want to get ahead of the game to give all 24 girls an attempt of contributing."
Article by Royal McGregor OA