By Nick Roettiger
Western Sun staff writer
Golden West College hosted its 33rd annual women’s softball tournament this past weekend, making it one of the longest running softball tournaments in the United States.
This year’s tournament consisted of 12 area teams, the top placers being East Los Angeles who took first place, closely followed by Los Angeles Harbor who placed in second. Chaffey took third place, West Valley fourth, and Pasadena and El Camino in fifth and sixth place.
With a 5-11 record coming into the tournament, the Rustlers fell a little short in the standings this year after losing both games on Friday, despite a come-from behind win and a rained-out game on Saturday.
“It was much more difficult this year,” says head coach Suzy Brazney, “ the rain demanded a lot of patience from the teams and the umpires, and though the results may not show it, the team has worked very hard this season.”
Friday Golden West took a crushing loss 10-4 against L.A. Harbor, and took another heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Oxnard. The green and gold sprang a surprise win against Moorpark on Saturday, when the Rustlers pulled off an astonishing victory after trailing by three in the seventh inning.
The fourth and final game was rained-out, placing the Rustlers below the top six places.
Though the Rustlers may not have finished the tournament where they would have liked to, outstanding performances were noted.
Sheila Samarin and Lauren Beard both made this year’s All-Tournament Team. Samarin led the Rustler offense with two triples and five RBIs, while Lauren had two doubles, a single, and three RBIs and played a terrific defense.
The Rustler softball team is next in action today (March 10) hosting Santa Ana College, and then again Friday at Santiago Canyon College.
Next week GWC will travel to Riverside to take on the RCC Tigers on Wednesday
(March 17). On March 19 GWC will host Saddleback College and on March 22 host Fullerton College.
