With a well-balanced game played by Mount San Antonio College, the Rio Hondo Softball team could not keep up with the best team in the South Coast Conference, losing by a score of 16-5 in five innings in their final home game.

After winning their last two of three games, the Lady Roadrunners looked to get another chance to upset the best team in the conference, who had not lost since Mar 25 and rode eight game win streak coming into the game.

Another added motivation for Rio were the families in attendance, as the Softball team celebrated their season and gave special recognition to their second year players.

Starting pitcher Brenae Martinez, outfielder Paige Aguilar, and infielder Alyssa Borja were honored by their team for their dedication and hard work in the last two years and the team looked to feed off of the crowd’s energy for a win.

Things got to a rough start for the Lady Roadrunners however, as Martinez allowed five runs on eight hits, leading to a 5-0 deficit to begin the game and a hole Rio would have to climb out of.

In the bottom of the first, Serina Castrellon got her team back into the game with a RBI single that brought home Loren Pichardo for their first score of the game.

As Mt. SAC rode their success into the second inning by tacking on another two runs, Rio only managed two scores in three innings. Errors by the Mt. SAC outfielders led to Castrellon scoring an unearned run facing a 7-2 deficit by the fourth inning.

With two outs in the fourth inning, Desiree Rhodes started the Rio Hondo rally after Alicia Olivas had an RBI single and Castrellon delivered a RBI double to bring in Olivas and Sarah Hauffen-Salgado to make it a 13-5 game with some optimism left for Rio.

Mt. SAC showed why they were the best team this season, adding another nine runs in the fourth and fifth inning while Rio could only respond with three of their own. Rio could not make a dent anymore, finishing the game in five innings with the final score of 16-5.

The Lady Roadrunners now fall to 10-26 on the season and go to 3-8 in conference play. Martinez finishes the game with a loss, allowing 16 runs on 18 hits and 13 errors.

Rio Hondo will now finish their season on the road, facing three teams in a four day span. While the next two games are non-conference games against Moorpark College Apr 21 and Orange Coast College Apr 22, their final conference game will be against East Los Angeles College April 25.