The Santa Rosa Junior College softball team evened its record to 3-3 in preconference play after winning both games of a doubleheader against Yuba College Feb. 12 in its home opener at Marv Mayes Field.
Behind a perfect game in the opener and steady offensive production throughout the afternoon, the Bear Cubs delivered one of their most complete performances of the season.
Head coach Madison Green said the team’s chemistry has developed quickly despite several new faces on the roster.
“What I’ve loved is how quickly the group bought in,” Green said. “Our returners set the tone, and our newcomers leaned into it. Over time, it’s shifted from learning each other to genuinely competing for each other. You can see it in the dugout energy, the way they celebrate small wins, and how they hold each other accountable. Right now, it feels like a connected group that enjoys being around one another and that’s huge heading into conference.”
Santa Rosa wasted no time asserting control in the first game, exploding with 10 runs in the first inning. Yuba never recovered, and the game ended after five innings via the mercy rule with a 16-0 final.
The Bear Cubs finished with 12 hits, led by sophomores Mya Gonzalez and Angel Ameesa, who recorded two hits apiece.
Sophomore starting pitcher Mia Avila delivered the defining performance of the afternoon, tossing her first career perfect game. Avila retired all 15 batters she faced and struck out eight in five dominant innings.
The performance earned Avila Pitcher of the Week honors from the California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association in week three.
“I am super excited to start conference with this group of girls,” Avila said. “Pitching is so much more fun and exciting when you have a defense you know will give their 110% effort every play and I am excited to see what conference holds for us.”
The second game brought a different tempo but the same result.
Freshman pitcher Gia Hernandez threw a complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits while recording 21 outs and striking out two.
The offense continued to apply pressure, highlighted by a milestone moment for sophomore shortstop Kylee Bauman.
The bottom of the third inning began with sophomore center fielder Mira Olvera tripling to left field. Bauman followed with her first collegiate home run, extending the lead to 3-0.
Bauman said the early-season success reflects the hard work the team put in during the offseason.
“It’s been so awesome to see all the hard work we put in during the fall translate into these first few games,” Bauman said. “The success I’ve been seeing just makes me even more excited to keep getting better. I’m most excited to compete in conference and see what we can do together. This team works so hard, and we have so much fun together. It’s so special. I can’t wait to see how far we can take this team this season.”
The two victories followed a split doubleheader at Butte College on Feb. 3 and a pair of losses to West Valley College on Feb. 7.
Coach Green said the West Valley games revealed areas that needed refinement but ultimately strengthened the group.
“They exposed some areas we needed to clean up, mainly situational execution and staying consistent with our energy,” Green said. “We had honest conversations, watched film, and simplified things. Offensively, we focused on hunting our pitch. Defensively, we focused on cleaner communication and pre-pitch readiness. In the circle, it was about attacking the zone and trusting the defense.”
The Bear Cubs then travelled to Hartnell College on Feb. 14 for another nonconference doubleheader, splitting the two games and winning the second in the seventh inning.
Olvera went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple in the outing. In the top of the seventh with the game tied 6-6, Bauman led off the inning with a solo home run to give Santa Rosa the lead.
Santa Rosa faced No. 2-ranked Cosumnes River College Feb. 20 and dropped both matchups in its first conference doubleheader of the season.
Despite the losses, Bauman hit two more home runs — one in the first inning and another in the fifth — and freshman Kaihla Jarvinen added her first collegiate home run, a three-run shot in the top of the seventh in the first game.
The Bear Cubs returned home for a nonconference doubleheader against San Jose City College on Feb. 25, earning two wins. Santa Rosa took the first game, 9-1 in six innings, before securing an 8-5 victory in the second game.
Santa Rosa then fell 6-0 at Folsom Lake College on Feb. 26 in its second Big 8 Conference game.
The Bear Cubs will return home Feb. 28 for a conference doubleheader against Sierra College. The first game is scheduled for noon, with the second game set for 2 p.m.
