The piercing blue south Texas skies were the perfect backdrop for a Good Friday, Region XIV South match-up between two bitter rivals as Coastal Bend College played host to the Palominos of Laredo Community College.
LCC came into the doubleheader with a record of 5-18 (1-10) while CBC sat at 16-17 (4-7) and fourth place in the Region XIV South standings.
Game One
Lydia Clarke toed the rubber for the Cougars in this crucial matchup. She was stellar, but more impressive was the defense behind her. In the second inning, Clark gave up a walk, only to have Catcher Sabrina Colon nail that runner at second on the attempted steal.
Both teams would put up amazing defense plays, LCC 3rd baseman Chris Saenz battled the win and the sun on infield pop-up that she eventually tracked down on her knees in foul territory. LCC would use another brilliant play to end a Cougar rally in the bottom of the fourth, when Kathrina Rangel would be hit by a pitch and give way to pinch runner Alyssa Garza. Garza would promptly steal second, putting herself into scoring position for Ashley Soto, who would hit a flare to short right field. Garza would break for home, only to find herself on the wrong end of a strike from the LCC right fielder.
CBC had its defensive moments as well, in addition to Colon's hose in the second, Kirstie Soto made a highlight reel glove flip to shortstop Mirella Guevara on a fielder's choice in the top of the fifth.
The Cougar offense would finally make its mark in the bottom of the fifth. Jamie Morales would get a two-out infield single, promptly steal second and score what would be the winning run on Guevara's line drive double down the left field line. Guevara would score immediately on Emily Michki's copycat left field double and immediately score on Rangel's third time is a charm, left field line double.
Three runs on three Cougar doubles would be all that Clarke would need as she retired the side to earn her 10th win on the season scattering three hits and striking out four.
Game Two
Lydia Clarke returned to the pitcher's circle for the Cougars looking for the sweep of the Palominos. The game was exactly like the first game in terms of both teams playing marvelous defense extinguishing early inning threats by each club.
The Cougars would score in the home half of the third inning when Morales would draw a walk. She would move to second as Guevara beat out the throw for an infield single. Michki would move the runners to third and second with a towering sacrifice fly, setting up Rangel to score Morales on her own sac-fly to left.
CBC would add two more in the bottom of the fifth, when Haley Sanchez led off the inning with a bomb through the heavy wind into the centerfield scoreboard. Morales walked, stole second and scored on line drive into the right center field gap by Michki, who would be tagged out just beyond second base to end the inning.
Clarke would retire the side in order in the top of sixth and seventh innings and earn win number 11 on the season, again striking out four, and giving up only two hits to LCC.
The Cougars will be back in action next Friday when they travel to the Houston area to take on San Jacinto in a Friday doubleheader before heading north to Brenham and a double dip with Blinn on Saturday.