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Saddleback College Athletics

Cats scratch out another win

Series resumes on Thursday at RCC

Graphic showing the final score of a softball game between the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers and the Saddleback College (SC) Bobcats. The Bobcats won 8-3, recording 12 hits and 2 errors, while the Tigers had 4 hits and 1 error. The background features a Bobcats player in a black uniform high-fiving a coach on the field. Text at the bottom reads: 'Cats now 10 games above .500.
image c/o Ben Kokkelenberg
Box Score
March 25, 2026

The Saddleback softball team defeated Riverside City College, 8-3, on Tuesday at Bobcats Field.  Saddleback is now 10 games above .500 for the first time this season.

Saddleback never trailed in the game but had to work hard throughout to put away a Riverside City team that came in with only one win in conference play.  The Bobcats finally put the game away in the sixth inning when scoring three times to take an 8-3 lead. 

Saddleback took advantage of some pitching and fielding miscues in grabbing a lead in the bottom half of the first inning.  With two outs in the inning, Ehva Cifuentes-Zombulovic had a single that was followed by walks to both Lola Winningham and Alexis Vanhorn to load the bases.  Cifuentes-Zombulovic then scored on a passed ball for the opening run of the game. 

Riverside tied the game in the top half of the second inning before the Bobcats responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.  The big blast was a three-run homer from Ka'ui Garcia to give the Cats a 4-1 lead.  It was Garcia's second home run of the season and the first since February 17.

Riverside snuck back into the game in the top half of the fourth inning when they scored a pair of runs as the Saddleback defense helped out with a pair of defensive errors.  Saddleback again responded in the bottom half of the inning when Winningham delivered a two-out single up the middle to score Millie Maher for a 5-3 lead.

Saddleback put the game away in the bottom half of the sixth inning as they scored three times for an 8-3 advantage.  Garcia and Winningham were again the catalysts, both registering doubles in the inning. 

Meanwhile, Colette Howren pitched a complete game in picking up the win.  Howren gave up just four hits while striking out nine in improving to 8-2 on the season.

Garcia reached base three times for the game, finishing 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs-scored and four RBI.  Winningham finished 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI.

Saddleback is now 18-8 overall and 6-1 in Orange Empire Conference play.  The Bobcats are currently alone in first place in the conference standings, one game ahead of both Fullerton College and Orange Coast College. 

Saddleback and Riverside City resume the series on Thursday in Riverside at 2:00 PM.  

NOTES:  Saddleback is now 10 games above .500 for the first time this season.  The last time the Bobcats were 10 games above .500 was last year when they reached 11 games above .500 on three separate occasions.