SCC Advances to NAIA Regional in Style

The Southern California College softball team showed off its flair for the dramatic, beating then-fourth-ranked Azusa Pacific, 3-2, in the final game of the regular season to clinch the final spot in the NAIA Far West Regional tournament.

“We didn’t really clinch it,” SCC Coach Beth Renkoski said. “We bought our way in.”

The score, tied, 1-1, after seven innings, was decided after three innings of the international tiebreaker. Each team scored once in the eighth. In the 10th, Michelle Murie drove in Heather Rogers from third with the winning run.

SCC pitcher Gretchen Brandt went the distance, giving up seven hits and one earned run. She struck out a career-high 12 and was named the Golden State Athletic Conference pitcher of the week.

Next up, SCC (19-31-1) opens the double-elimination regional tournament May 8 against Hawaii Pacific, ranked No. 1 in the NAIA. Concordia (23-21) plays Azusa Pacific (46-7-1) in the other first-round game at DeYoung Field in West Covina.

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More softball: Chapman will finish its regular season Friday with a doubleheader against La Verne at Hart Park. The Panthers (32-7) are expected to receive their third consecutive NCAA Division III playoff bid. Chapman won the title in 1995 and was the runner-up last season. The regional tournaments are May 9-11.

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Track and field: Isis Orejel won the 200 and 400 meters at the Golden State Athletic Conference Championships Saturday, the first time an SCC individual has won two events at the meet.

Orejel, a sophomore from Santa Ana Valley, won the 200 in 25.7 seconds and the 400 in 57.1. Brian Carlson, a senior from Katella, finished second in the high jump (6-10) and qualified for the NAIA national championships.

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SCC signings: Four additions to the women’s basketball team: transfers Aimee Pina (guard, Chaffey College), Sara Herkenhoff (6-4 center, The Master’s College, Dana Hills High) and Kristi Wright (5-11 forward, Victor Valley College) and freshman-to-be Tammi Marks (guard, Norco High).

In women’s soccer: Robin Callahan (defender, Whittier Christian), Carrie DeCosta (defender, Redwood Christian High in San Leandro), Liz McCary (midfielder, Berean Christian High in Walnut Creek) and Jessica Lubman (goalkeeper, Cypress College).