Lassen falls to Hartnell

Lassen College’s softball team faced a tough challenge on March 15, as they dropped a close 3-2 game to Hartnell on the road. The game began with an early setback for Lassen, as Hartnell quickly scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Lassen answered back with one run in the top of the first, but their offense went quiet in the following innings, and they couldn’t push across enough runs to overtake the Hartnell lead.

The Cougars were led offensively by Shea Jones and Lexi Gonzalez, who both recorded one RBI. Jones had a solid game with a base hit and an RBI in the first, while Gonzalez’s RBI came late in the game in the seventh inning. Tristyn Lenz and Nadia Velazquez also contributed, with Lenz hitting a double, and Velazquez adding another hit to the team’s tally. Despite five hits on the day, Lassen struggled with timely hitting, leaving five runners stranded on base.

Lassen’s pitching staff was anchored by Lauren Emery, who threw all seven innings. Emery kept the game close, allowing three runs on 11 hits, while striking out six batters. Although she gave up a couple of key hits, Emery battled through adversity and kept her team within striking distance. However, Lassen's defense committed two errors that proved costly, contributing to Hartnell’s ability to hold on to their lead.

Hartnell extended their advantage with a run in the third and another in the fifth, but Lassen could only manage one more run in the seventh. With the score at 3-2, Lassen’s last-ditch effort fell short, as they couldn’t generate enough offense to complete the comeback. Despite the loss, Lassen will look to regroup and bounce back in their next game, as they continue their season with hopes of improving their performance at the plate and in the field.