Softball: Rio Hondo comes from behind to beat Chaffey 4-3

Sophomore pitcher Brenae Martinez did it all for the Rio Hondo College softball team on Tuesday. She went the distance in the circle, allowing just one earned run while fueling a seventh-inning rally to score the Roadrunners' winning run in a 4-3 South Coast Conference North Division win over the visiting Chaffey College Panthers.

It didn't look good for the Roadrunners early after Chaffey scored a run in the top of the first and added two more unearned runs in the second to jump ahead 3-0. But Rio Hondo stayed relaxed and slowly chipped away at the lead.

Rio Hondo got a run back in the bottom of the second thanks to a clutch two-out double by Sarah Hauffen-Salgado that scored Karina Gomez. In the fourth, Marissa Macias came through for the Roadrunners with two outs, as she singled to drive in Gomez for her second run of the game. And in the fifth, Loren Pichardo smacked a RBI double to bring home Jelissa Catanon with the tying run.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh when Martinez basically took it upon herself to pull out the win for the Roadrunners. After a botched sacrifice bunt that resulted in a double play, Martinez drew a walk to keep the inning alive. Desiree Rhodes followed with a walk to advance Martinez to second base before she took off to steal third. With Gomez at the plate, Martinez broke for home on a passed ball to score the game-winner.

Martinez (2 for 3) was one of three Roadrunners to collect two hits in the contest. Macias went a perfect 2 for 2 at the plate while Pichardo was 2 for 3.

From the circle, Martinez allowed one earned run and just three hits in the complete-game effort.

The win improved Rio Hondo to 9-24 overall and 2-6 in SCC North Division play while Chaffey dropped to 14-19 and 3-6. The Roadrunners return to action on Thursday (Apr. 13) when they travel to Pasadena City College for a 2:30 pm SCC North game.