The Santa Rosa Junior College softball team dismantled the opposition after winning both legs of a doubleheader, 22-4 in the opener and 8-0 in the following game against Ohlone College, at Marv Mayes Field March 11, improving to 11-9 on the season.
The Bear Cubs have fared better over their last 10 games, going 7-3, driven by a refined offense that has outscored their opponents 48-19 since the start of March.
One blemish in that stretch came in their most recent outing when American River College shut out Santa Rosa 8-0, allowing only two hits in the game.
Santa Rosa’s lineup rebounded against Ohlone College with an explosion at the plate as every player recorded a hit and a run in the first game.
“I think when one person gets a good line drive, everybody just picks up on that,” said second baseman Ninu Elisara. “It’s contagious.”
In game one, the Bear Cubs jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in the first inning as they batted around and never let up.
“We came into this game knowing that we should dominate, and I think that’s exactly what we did,” said center fielder Kylee Bauman. ”So we just trusted that we could handle this, and we did.”
Facing a struggling team, Santa Rosa exceeded expectations, scoring the first 17 runs of the contest.
The early lead was complemented by steady pitching from Gia Hernandez, striking out five swinging over three shutout innings.
Brook Myhre worked around a rough inning in the fourth, allowing four runs to score but limited the bleeding, and denied Ohlone the chance to mount a significant rally to threaten Santa Rosa, stranding two runners in scoring position.
“I definitely think it gives me more confidence because I can have more fun and I can be more loose, for sure,” said pitcher Brook Myhre when asked about pitching with a lead. “I think that’s a huge advantage as a pitcher going in with more ability to relax.”
Despite the massive lead and eventual blowout, the Bear Cubs remained poised and composed, never losing focus.
“It can get pretty long and it kind of drags a little bit, but we set goals per inning, then if we have something that we’re reaching towards every single moment of the game, there’s less of a lull,” said assistant coach Anna Zoia-Buescher.
Immediately following the lengthy first game, momentum transferred into the second game with no signs of slowing down.
“I think towards the end of the first game, we kind of hit a little bit of a lull just because it was kind of a slower game. But I think just having the ability to carry it into the second game, and executing when we needed to, was good on our part,” Bauman said.
In the second game, Santa Rosa was led by dominant pitching from Mya Gonzalez over four scoreless innings, a three-run homer off the bat of Bauman to seal the deal and stellar team defense.
Myhre expressed the importance of team defense. “It can definitely fluctuate how well you’re doing, because if [your team has] your back, it’s almost like you’re in sync with each other. But if things aren’t going that way, it can definitely escalate, and it’s hard to overcome for sure,” she said.
Perhaps more impressive than the offensive explosion from the Bear Cubs was the unwavering support and energy emanating from the home team’s dugout throughout.
No matter the score or situation, the home dugout was alive. Songs of cheer, shouts of encouragement, and chants of approval for their fellow teammates poured from the bench.
“I think everybody stayed up in the dugout. Like, they had really good energy, so it kind of helped me bring that to the plate. And I was just confident,” Elisara said.
Even up on the scoreboard, Santa Rosa kept scrapping for every run as if it were still 0-0, and coach Zoia-Buescher emphasized the team’s will to compete game in and game out.
“This team, they’re fighters, and we’re never done until the games get called. Wherever we are, if we’re ahead, we’re down. We’re gonna fight through all seven innings and give it everything we have,” Zoia-Buescher said.
Santa Rosa will next play a conference doubleheader against Folsom Lake College starting at noon March 28 at Marv Mayes Field.
