Cuesta Softball hosted Coalinga for a doubleheader and swept the Falcons, 8-1 and 9-3. The Cougars scored in each of the first four innings in the opener, while Starter Shelbi Griffith scattered three hits and held the Falcons in check. Coalinga finally manufactured a run, after opening the 5th with a pair of singles. A sacrifice bunt and a groundout helped them push a run across, but Cuesta' all-WSC Shortstop Danya Boyd slugged a pair of home runs to put the game out of reach. Griffith went the distance for the Cougars, while allowing only one run on seven hits and striking out five Falcons. In the nightcap, both teams were scoreless until the 3rd inning, when Centerfielder Hailey Hallford tripled in Kylyn Parker and followed her home on a throwing error to take the lead, 2-0. However, it was not until two innings later that the game turned into a battle. Coalinga finally got to Cuesta Starter Sienna Lowry with three runs on four hits, a walk and a hit batter. Lowry kept the damage to a minimum, while finishing the inning with the bases full of Falcons. Luckily, the Cougars were ready to pick-up their teammate and immediately mashed out six runs on five hits, including RBI Doubles from Boyd, Abigail Haller and Lowry herself. Lowry, with a cushion, set down six of the next seven Falcons to earn the victory. On offense returning all-WSC Standouts Danya Boyd and Hailey Hallford led the Cougars on the day. Boyd went 5-for-8, including a double, triple and two homers, while scoring four runs and driving in five. Hallford was 4-for-8 in the twinbill, including a triple, while both scoring and driving in three runs. Cuesta Softball is now 19-12 overall.
Softball hits the road next week as the Cougars return to their Western State Conference schedule. Cuesta travels to Allan Hancock on Tuesday (2:30) and Ventura on Thursday (12:30). They will not be back home until April 15, when they host Santa Barbara (2:30).
