COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Corson Keeps Cypress in Winners’ Bracket

Behind the strong pitching of Laura Corson, Cypress College posted its 17th consecutive victory and advanced to the finals of the California Community College State Softball Tournament with a 2-1 victory over Sacramento City Friday night at Golden West College.

Cypress will face Chabot, a 2-0 winner over Palomar, at 6 p.m. in the winners’ bracket final at Golden West.

Corson, who pitched a four-hitter to knock the Northern Region’s top-seeded team into the losers’ bracket, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh inning by striking out Kim Kelley to end the game.

Cypress (44-10) scored both of its runs on sacrifice flies, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning when Stefanie Hill’s fly ball scored Corson. In the top of the seventh, Lisa Hawthorne’s sacrifice fly scored Nikkani Andrews, who had tripled for the 10th time this season.

“I told the team that now we just need two more wins in a row,” Cypress Coach Brad Pickler said. “I told them earlier in the season that we needed seven wins in a row to clinch the Orange Empire conference, and they delivered then, so. . . .”

Corson’s performance gives Pickler reason for optimism, especially after she pitched a no-hitter against Ohlone, in a 6-0 first round victory. While a sixth-inning walk to Diana Stallard spoiled Corson’s bid for a perfect game, Jackie Boxley’s three-run home run and Priscilla Sarmiento’s two-run single provided all the offense Corson (27-7) needed.