The Santa Rosa Junior College softball team played its final home game April 16, in what turned out to be a pitching duel between Cosumnes River’s Allison Barsetti and SRJC’s Courtney Lucchesi.

With Cosumnes ahead 1-0 in the fourth, SRJC’s Morgan Taylor scored on Lucchesi’s single to tie the score. After giving up a run in the top of the sixth inning the Bear Cubs responded with a run in the bottom of the inning when third baseman Christine Pierce sped home on a wild pitch.^.

In the seventh inning the first three Cosumnes batters reached base through Bear Cub mistakes when miscommunication on a fly ball allowed a runner to reach first base, followed by a throwing error on a potential double play, then a walk loading the bases.

Lucchesi was replaced by Megan Winters who struck out her first batter, but with a two-strike count against the next batter, Barsetti, Winters threw what many fans believed was strike three, only to be agape when it was ruled a ball.

Barsetti would later hit a bloop single, scoring the first run of a five-run inning that was aided by a Bear Cubs error, finalizing the score 7-2.

When asked about the game, coach Phil Wright said, “We just didn’t get a hit. We didn’t get it done. We had a couple mental mistakes.” With playoffs around the corner, Wright believes his team might be pressing too hard.

The team finished the season losing both games of a double header against San Joaquin Delta College (23-17) by scores of 6-0 and 5-4, but won its final game against Diablo Valley College 17-1. The final record of 26-13-1 and third in the Big 8 conference, should be good enough for playoffs.

Wright credits the team’s success to their pitching and talent. The team has three great pitchers who have a combined ERA of 2.94. Playoffs begin May 3.

The time and date have yet to be determined.