Compton Clinches 5th In South Coast Softball

The Compton College softball team will finish in fifth place in the highly-competitive South Coast Conference after consecutive victories over Rio Hondo and East Los Angeles last week.

Compton (12-21-2 overall) is 9-12 in the SCC and due to makeup games caused by the wet weather in February/March, it plays three straight conference games this week to finish out the 24-game schedule.

Compton is playing in a conference that features state #5-ranked El Camino, #7 Long Beach City, #11 Cerritos and #17 Mt. San Antonio.

In an 11-3 home win over East LA on April 16, shortstop Laila Davila batted 2-for-4, including a bases-clearing triple in the fourth inning, and finished with four RBI. Third baseman Audrey Garcia was 3-for-4, leftfielder Lauren Kleib 2-for-3 with two RBI, first baseman Serena Velez 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly and three ribbies while starting/winning pitcher Johanna Vidales went 2-for-4 with a double. 

On Sophomore Day at Compton on April 15, the squad received a 7-inning, complete game performance by Kleib in the circle as she allowed no earned runs and struck out nine in a 6-4 victory. Leftfielder Angela Banderas broke a 2-2 tie with a 3-run homer in the fourth while Velez was a perfect 3-for-3 including a double. 

Garcia, a sophomore, leads the cleat crew in batting average with a .421 mark and another 2-year starter Velez is hitting .370 with team highs in doubles (eight), home runs (three) and RBI (26). 

Compton is guided by head coach Victoria Castillo, who directed the program to a Southern California Regional Playoff spot last season.