COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : OCC Needs Only Two Chances to Beat Cypress

Orange Coast had only two chances to score and took advantage of both to beat Cypress, 2-0, in an Orange Empire Conference softball game Wednesday at OCC.

The victory moves Orange Coast (13-6, 7-1 in conference) into a first-place tie with Cypress (25-9, 7-1). Cypress beat OCC, 1-0, in eight innings in the first meeting.

Sophomore Jill Bishop (10-5) pitched a seven-hitter in getting her fifth shutout of the season for OCC, the defending conference champion.

OCC needed only two hitters to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Tami Dowlin opened with a single and scored when Nicole Shammas doubled up the gap in right-center field. After the two hits, Cypress pitcher Leigh Sager retired the next nine batters.

But in the fourth inning, Sager walked four, including Stephani Rogers on a full-count with two outs to force in the second run.

Cypress, which won the conference title in 1990 and 1991, left seven runners, including three in the frustrating fifth.

After one out, Chrystal Youngberg and Kristi Richerson singled and LaNea Jones reached on an error to load the bases with the top of the order coming up.

Carrie Frederick popped to first-baseman Dowlin, who made the catch near the fence in front of the Cypress dugout for the second out. Trisha Bokano hit a bouncer to short and appeared to beat the throw on a close play but was called out, ending the threat.

Cypress’ Tina Fuata got a one-out walk in the seventh but Bishop came back to get the final two outs for the victory.