The Bear Cubs began the season with a bang by winning their first five games this spring.
Sophomore pitcher Megan Winters and freshman pitcher Dana Thompson combined to hurl a perfect game against Mendocino. Winters, a first year captain, lead the way with six strikeouts over five perfect innings before turning over to Thompson to close things out.
Sophomore catcher Megan Stroud’s two-run single in the fifth carried the Bear Cubs’ offense. The Bear Cubs would go on to win 2-0.
In the second game, the Bear Cubs defeated the College of the Redwoods behind a phenomenal performance by sophomore pitcher Haylie Chase. Chase, making her season debut, struck out nine batters while allowing one hit over four scoreless innings.
Thompson would pick up her first win of the season after twirling three shutout one-hit innings out of the bullpen.
The Bear Cubs would extend their winning streak to three games after defeating Hartnell 6-3 in the first part of a double-header Feb. 1.
Behind a huge performance by sophomore Samantha Bartee, the Bear Cubs cruised to victory 10-6. Bartee, a freshman, went three for three with a season high five RBI’s.
The Bear Cubs swept the double-header in a close game against Hartnell. Winning 2-1, the Bear Cubs improved to a four game winning streak.
The Bear Cubs then won their next game against Napa Valley College, earning a victory of 10-2.
The Bear Cubs’ offense leads the Big 8 conference in at bats, hits, doubles, RBI’s, total-bases, sacrifice hits and stolen-bases. Bartee leads the team in batting average, hits, total-bases, RBI’s, on-base percentage and in at-bats.
The team has effectively been able to move runners over from base to base via small ball. Krissy Pardoski leads the team in both sacrifice hits with two bunts and stolen bases with 3 successful steal attempts.
The Bear Cubs’ pitching staff has been unhittable as well. They lead the circuit in wins, earned-run-average, strikeouts, saves, and batting-average-against. The staff even has three pitchers ranked in the top five for strikeouts in the league.
The Bear Cubs’ pitching staff has held opposing teams to a .109 batting average and allowed only six runs all season long. Presently, the Bear Cubs have a .325 batting average and knocked in 25 RBI’s.
Leading the league with 14 strikeouts, Winters anchors a dominant staff which includes Thomson, the conference leader in wins. The two returning pitchers have helped form a nasty 1-2 punch of aces for the Bear Cubs.
The Bear Cubs look to extend their winning streak to six games at 10 a.m. Feb. 8 when they take on De Anza College in the first game of a double-header and Yuba College at 2 p.m.