RIVERSIDE -- Pounding out 14 hits, the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's softball team displayed a solid effort with a 9-5 Orange Empire Conference (OEC) victory over the visiting Golden West College (GWC) Rustlers Wednesday afternoon (Mar. 30) at Brown Field.

Sophomore catcher Hunter LaCroix (Norco / Norco HS '14) was one of six Tigers to rap out two hits as she went two for three with three RBI for Riverside City (13-13 overall, 5-8 OEC).

LaCroix put RCC on the board first with a RBI single in the bottom of the first inning. In the third, trailing 3-1, RCC starting RHP Laura Mendez helped her own cause with a RBI double and then frosh DP Simoriah Scharer stroked a RBI single to tie the game at 3-3.

After Golden West (6-23 overall, 1-11 OEC) went ahead, 4-3, in the fourth, the Tigers answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame for an 8-4 lead, which was highlighted by a two-run double by frosh SS Jenna Shay. Batting in the clean-up spot, Shay went two for four with two runs scored and two RBI.  

Mendez went the distance (7.0 innings) and allowed five runs (all earned) on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts to improve to 7-8 on the season. Her counterpart, GWC starting RHP Adriana Barrera also went the distance (6.0 innings) and allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 14 hits with one walk and two strikeouts as her record fell to 3-14.

Bianca Espinoza went three for four for the Rustlers. Sophomore SS Taylor Clinkaberry capped the scoring with a solo home run to right field in the top of the sixth, her third round tripper of the season.