COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Cypress Beats Ventura, Advances to State

Cypress rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh inning to beat Ventura, 3-2, in a Southern California Regional second-round softball game Saturday at Cypress.

Cypress, the designated visiting team, won the series, 2-0, and advances to the State tournament for the third consecutive season.

Ventura scored a pair of runs in the fifth to take a 2-1 lead. Priscilla Sarmiento started the seventh with a triple to right-center for Cypress (42-10). Jackie Boxley walked and stole second and Laura Corson walked to load the bases. After a flyout, Collene Conahan singled up the middle to tie it, 2-2. Stefanie Hill grounded into a force play to drive in Boxley with the go-ahead run.

Karrie Swartz (8-3) retired Ventura in order in the seventh to complete a three-hitter. Jennifer Cabral (12-7) went seven innings but took the loss for Ventura, (24-14).

In other regional play:

Orange Coast 11-11, Fullerton 0-0--Alisha Nelson (22-8) pitched a one-hitter with eight strikeouts in the first game and Kristin Heizer (12-5) pitched a two-hitter in the second game as OCC (35-14) swept at home. The Pirates, who have won 27 of their last 34, advance to the State tournament next weekend at Golden West.

Tina Fuata had three hits and scored three runs in the first game. Fullerton’s Erika Ostergaard (14-19) was perfect for the first four innings before OCC scored four runs in the fifth, two more in the sixth and five in the seventh.

Kami Bigler had a home run and Shannon Ebert had two hits including a triple, scored two runs and drove in two more for OCC and Becky Toler had four hits in the two games. Fullerton ends, 15-22.

In the Southern California Regional men’s tennis tournament:

Hansen and Saba reach final--Saddleback’s doubles team of Scott Hansen and Estaban Saba will play Monday for the doubles title with a 7-5, 6-4, victory over John Henderson and Scott Spooner of Grossmont. They will take on Jon Imel and Chan Ly of Long Beach.