Viking Softball Rides Strong Pitching and Timely Offense in Home Opener

The Long Beach City College softball team hit its home diamond for the first time this season on Wednesday afternoon by facing off against the Southwestern College Jaguars. It was a classic pitchers dual through the first five innings until the Viking's bats awoke for a two run, two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth inning leading to a 2-0 triumph.

The bats were slow to awake for both squads in the game due in part to a solid outing from freshman hurler Alissa Cienfuegos (Carson, CA). After allowing a leadoff single in the first frame, Cienfuegos continued to retire the side in the second and third innings which included a swinging strikeout. She allowed just two baserunners after retiring six-in-a-row.

Long Beach's bats woke up in the bottom of the fifth inning as freshman center fielder Alvia Soulliere (Paramount, CA) led off the frame by barreling a deep double to right-center field. With two outs in the inning, freshman right fielder Alijah Vega (Bellflower, CA) dropped down a bunt that forced an errant throw by the Jaguar's third baseman, thus scoring Soulliere and handing the Vikings a 1-0 advantage.

LBCC was not finished as freshman shortstop Amanda McCalip (Bellflower, CA) barreled a double, scoring Vega to extend their lead to 2-0.

Cienfuegos continued to work in the top of the sixth inning and wiggled her way out of a bases-loaded jam to preserve the two-run lead. However, the freshman arm found herself in yet another jam in the top of the seventh inning and handed the pearl off to freshman closer Vanessa Montanez (Lakewood, CA).

With the bases juiced for the second-consecutive inning, Montanez worked out of the inning by forcing a batter's interference call and a pop out en route to a 2-0 win.

Cienfuegos was lights out in the circle by scattering four hits and punching out six batters. Montanez was clutch by chucking 0.2 innings and earning the save.

McCalip earned the lone RBI of the contest by going 1-for-3 with an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth. Vega squared up two base knocks, while Soulliere uncorked a double and scored the winning run.

The Vikings (2-1) will travel to Orange Coast College on Friday, February 3 to face off against Orange Coast and Southwestern, respectfully.