By Daniel Giovati
Co-Sports Editor
Over the past two weeks, the CSUDH softball team won five of eight games, pushing their season total for victories to nine, which is one more than all of last year.
Improved starting pitching has been a key to the team’s 9-12 record to begin the 2018 season.
After dropping six straight games heading into a series against Cal State San Bernardino at home Feb. 23-24, the Toros got a gutsy pitching effort from senior Alyssa Valinches to hold on to a close 3-1 victory.
On Friday at Toro Diamond, CSUDH beat Cal State San Bernardino 3-1 and got the monkey of a six-game losing streak off their back.
“Alyssa was able to mix her pitches and hit good spots. Our defense played well behind her,” said head coach Kim Aggabao.
Sophomore catcher Rachael Sandoval hit a first inning two run blast. Sandoval leads the squad with three home runs.
The Toros were shut out in the back end of the doubleheader Feb. 23, 5-0.
The Toros split the doubleheader on Feb. 24, racking up 11 hits in the third game, but still falling short, 6-5. In the series finale, sound pitching and defense helped them hold on to a tense 4-3 victory.
“Alyssa Olague came out strong for us on the mound and we had some really good defensive plays behind her,” said Aggabao.
Last weekend, the lady Toros played perhaps their best series of the season so far, taking three out of four at Cal State East Bay.
The Toros shut down the Pioneer offense in game one of the series. Valinches dazzled yet again, hurling a complete game shutout and striking out 12 batters.
“Alyssa has given us quality starts so far this year,” said Aggabao.
Junior outfielder Doreen Corella launched a three-run homerun in the first inning, her first long ball of the year. That was all the run support the Toros needed as they cruised to a 4-0 victory.
CSUDH scored four runs in the first inning of the game, and added a couple late, winning 6-3.
“We showed some toughness and that’s what we need to be on the winning side of these close games,” said Aggabao.
The Toros three-game winning streak was halted in a big way in game three as they were beaten handily, 8-0. But Valinches once again picked up the team. She hurled her third complete game in a week, and the Toros won 8-2.
Valinches and Olague have been the team workhorses on the mound, starting all 21 games. Valinches is 4-5 with an ERA of 4.18 with two shutouts and the freshman Olague is 5-6 with a 4.35 ERA.
At the plate, senior Kayla Lock leads the team with a batting average of .359, with junior Doreen Corella right behind, at .346. Junior Sandoval leads the team with three home runs, 13 RBIs and a .529 slugging average.
The Toros host San Francisco State for four games on March 16 and March 17.
