Sophomore Shine in 6-1 Victory Over American River

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Cosumnes River College celebrated Sophomore Night in dominant fashion on Thursday afternoon, defeating American River College 6-1 in Big 8 Conference play. The Hawks improved to 23-16 overall and 13-11 in conference, closing out their final home game of the season with a strong all-around performance.

Before first pitch, Cosumnes River honored its sophomore class for their dedication and contributions to the program. The group made the night even more memorable by delivering a complete team win in front of the home crowd.

In the circle, sophomore Xochitl Atayde delivered a stellar outing, tossing a complete game while allowing just two hits and one run over seven innings. Atayde struck out two and walked one, needing just 79 pitches to secure her 10th win of the season.

The Hawks wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning. Alexis Hoke drove in the game's opening run with an RBI single, scoring Imani Black to give Cosumnes River an early 1-0 lead.

Cosumnes River added to its lead in the third inning with aggressive baserunning. Ashley Garcia stole home to make it 2-0, and Hoke later scored on a throwing error to extend the advantage to 3-0.

The biggest swing of the day came in the fourth inning when Black launched a two-run home run down the left field line, scoring Faith Hahn and pushing the Hawks' lead to 5-0. Black finished the game with two RBIs and two runs scored, providing a major spark in the lineup.

The Hawks tacked on one more run in the fifth inning when Atayde helped her own cause with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Hahn to make it 6-0.

Cosumnes River totaled nine hits on the afternoon, with Garcia and Emma Misasi each recording two hits. Hoke added an RBI and was active on the basepaths with two stolen bases, while Hahn reached base three times and scored twice.

American River was held in check for most of the game, managing just two hits. The Beavers broke through in the seventh inning with an RBI single from Lilly Leslie to avoid the shutout.

Defensively, the Hawks were solid behind Atayde, committing just one error while consistently making key plays to limit scoring opportunities.

With the win, Cosumnes River closes out its regualr season schedule on a high note and carries momentum into the post season.