Tensions ran high in the fifth inning as sophomore Reina Trejo was up to bat for the Warriors.
El Camino was scoreless with Long Beach City College for five innings in a defensive struggle. Trejo knew expectations were high because a win at Long Beach clinched EC’s first Southern Coast conference title since 1989.
Trejo was cool under pressure when she batted in sophomore outfielder Kristen Romero. The offensive push led to an onslaught that ended the fifth inning with four runs for the Warriors.
“I felt confident at bat,” Trejo said. “I knew what pitch I wanted and I looked for it.”
The Warriors played the Vikings on their home turf Thursday afternoon with a conference title on the line and earned a 4-1 victory.
Trejo looked surprised when she found out how long the drought was since the conference title was last at EC and she lit up in excitement.
“I feel fantastic, it feels great to accomplish something this big together as a team,” Trejo said.
Trejo was the key factor that ignited the Warriors’ offense. A double RBI brought home Romero and drew first blood for the Warriors at 1-0. After Trejo got on base the team was feeling a change in the tide of the game.
Sophomore first basemen Danielle Bonsky hit a line drive that forced an error and brought home both Trejo and sophomore catcher Gabby Fordiani for a 3-0 lead.
The offense continued in the fifth as second basemen Marissa Padilla batted in Bonksy that gave the Warriors a 4-0 lead at the end of the fifth.
Fordiani was excited with the win but she knows her team has a lot of work to do as post season quickly arrives. Fordiani is the current home run leader for the Warriors and has faith in her team looking towards playoffs.
“I have a lot of confidence in my team. We got to take it one game at a time and play aggressive like we did today,” Fordiani said.
Pitcher Sierra Gabriel started on the mound for the Warriors and was relieved in the seventh inning by Trejo.
“Sierra pitched a great game and Reina did an awesome job closing the game up,” Fordiani said.
Coach Jessica Rapoza was ecstatic as she gathered her players at the end of the game saying how proud of them she was. This was Rapoza’s first season at the helm of the softball team and proved with this conference winning season she is here to stay for the Warriors.
“I am so proud of my team, we worked hard to get where we are right now and we got one goal down,” Rapoza said. “But we have to stay healthy because we still have work to do.”
El Camino hosts Mt. Sac April 17 at 3 p.m.
