Softball: Roadrunners close season with narrow losses to Cerritos

WHITTIER – The 2022 Rio Hondo College softball season wrapped up on Wednesday with a narrow 1-0 South Coast Conference loss to visiting Cerritos College at home.

The season finale came just a day after the two squads played a make up game in Cerritos on Tuesday, with the Falcons defeating the Roadrunners by a final score of 3-1.

 On Wednesday, the Roadrunners and Falcons battled for four scoreless innings. But in the top of the fifth inning, Cerritos rallied for a walk, a double, and a sacrifice fly to score the game's lone run.

Rio Hondo pitcher Lourdes Soria did her best to keep Rio Hondo in the contest. She went the distance, allowing one run and five hits while striking out four.

Ashley Bravo (2 for 4, double) and Juliete Verdugo (2 for 3) both had two hits for the Roadrunners.

Rio Hondo got on the scoreboard first in Tuesday's contest, getting a run in the top of the first off starter Richere Leduc. Bravo was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and eventually came around to score on a two-out, RBI single by Soria.

Cerritos responded with two runs off Rio Hondo starter Clarissa Evangelista in the bottom of the frame and added an insurance run in the sixth. Evangelista took the complete-game loss, allowing three runs and five hits over six innings with four strikeouts.

Rio Hondo closed out the season with a solid 23-15 overall record under head coach Bianca Urquidi. It marked the Roadrunners' first 20+ win season since 2015 (22-19-1). Rio Hondo ended tied for fifth place in the final South Coast Conference standings at 9-12.