The Rio Hondo college softball team defeated College of the Desert, 12-10, on March 13 at Rio Hondo and are now in a three way tie for first in the Foothill Conference.

After losing their conference opener to San Bernardino Valley College on Feb. 23, the Lady Roadrunners (11-13-1) had won three straight in the conference and seven of nine overall.

As the game began, it did not take long for Desert to open a lead as Kayla Kobler and Lauren Ortiz scored early off an error from Rio Hondo to make it a quick 2-0 deficit.

In the bottom of the first, however, Rio Hondo responded after Brittany Salcido hit one to left field that allowed Stephanie Pirir-Pulido to score which cut the lead, 2-1, at the end of the first inning.

Kobler scored once again for Desert in the top of the third after Ortiz hit one to left field and it did not stop there as Ortiz also scored off a hit that made it, 4-1, heading into the bottom of the third.

Rio Hondo responded once again after a hit from Mylene Valencia to right field brought home Lauren Coronado and Ashley Gutierrez to make it a, 4-3, game at the end of the third.

College of the Desert quickly responded in the top of the fourth and took a 5-3 lead after Kodie Sturm scored off a hit to centerfield by Ortiz. Desert added one more run when Ortiz scored to make it, 6-3.

Rio Hondo scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as Esthefany Martinez, Amanda Toledo, Pirir-Pulido, Salcido and Coronado crossed the plate to put them up, 8-6, heading into the fifth inning.

There was even more of Rio Hondo in the fifth, as they scored once more as Toledo and Salina Gonzalez scored and Gutierrez scoring once again to make it 11-6 with all the momentum going to them.

In the sixth inning, Desert came back as they had 4 runs to make it an 11-10 game which made interesting and put pressure on Rio as they needed a strong inning to close the game out.

They did just that as Martinez scored to make it a 12-10 game when Pirir-Pulido hit one to left field to seal the victory for their team.

After the victory, Coach Urquidi mentioned that the key to their recent four game winning streak was her team “hitting really well” and her pitchers in the circle doing a great job.

When asked what more they can do to improve, Coach Urquidi said they always look for progress every day and always wanting “to be better than we were they day before.”