Howren pitches second straight gem

The Saddleback softball team opened Orange Empire Conference play with an 8-0 shutout win over Santa Ana College in five innings on Tuesday in Santa Ana.  The Bobcats are now six games above .500 for the first time this season.

Saddleback had a second straight outstanding performance from Colette Howren on the mound.  Howren gave up just three hits with five strikeouts in improving to 5-2 on the season.  Over the past 12 innings, Howren has allowed only four hits while striking out 13 and walking none.

Saddleback needed only one run to secure the win and picked up that run in the opening inning when Ehva Cifuentes-Zombulovic hit a sacrifice fly to score Millie Maher, who had led off the game with a hit.

Saddleback tacked on three more runs in both the third and fourth innings in taking a commanding 7-0 lead.  The Cats took advantage of some pitching and defensive miscues while scoring three times in the third inning.  The Bobcats then had four hits in the fourth inning, with Ka'ui Garcia picking up her second hit of the game to give Saddleback a 5-0 lead.  Garcia then had her third hit of the game in the top half of the fifth inning when she singled home Maher for the eighth and final run of the game.

Garcia finished 3-for-4 with two runs-scored and two RBI to lead the offense.  Howren helped her cause on the mound by going 2-for-2 with an RBI at the plate.

Saddleback is now 13-7 overall and 1-0 in Orange Empire Conference play following the win.  The Bobcats will host game two of the series on Thursday.  The Cats and Dons are scheduled to start at 2:00 PM on Thursday at Bobcats Field.