Pumped up would be an understatement in describing the Warriors start to the game. Up by four after two innings, EC’s softball team would not lose the lead as they beat El Camino College Compton Center 7-6 last Thursday.

The performance earned freshman shortstop Victoria Garcia recognition from California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association. She was named SoCal Player of the Week.

“We went up early in the first two innings,” Garcia said. “But I think we got a little comfortable for the following
innings and we kind of stopped scoring runs so those runs in the first
two innings really helped us a lot.”

Offensively, freshman infielder Jessica Gonzalez scored two runs and freshman shortstop Victoria Garcia earned two RBIs herself.

“We knew we had to score first, so that we could stay on top of it
because our games are always close with them,” Gonzalez said. “Scoring two in the first really brought
up our motivation.”

Freshman pitcher Reina Trejo pitched for the first two innings and the end of the seventh allowing four hits and earning two strikeouts. Freshman infielder Danielle Bonsky pitched the rest of the game allowing six hits and earning two strikeouts.

“I went in for the last out of the last inning,” Trejo said. “My biggest focus was trying to get a ground ball so that we could get that third out and end the game and that’s what happened.”

The Tartars rallied in the last three innings almost tying the game but EC’s defense was able to stop the onslaught.

“We just had to stay calm and know that Dani (Bonsky) was gonna throw strikes or that she was gonna get us the ground balls and things that we needed,” Trejo said. “The biggest thing was staying calm and not cracking under pressure.”

This is the third meeting between the two sides; two wins in favor of EC and one for the Tartars. Compton’s win was back in February.

“We came out strong and that was really important because it’s always a flip flop with us,” Bonsky said about previous meetings with Compton. “But we stayed strong throughout the whole game.”

The Warriors have two games remaining in the regular season. Its penultimate game will be today against the visiting Cerritos College at 3 p.m.