Mendoza Helps Cypress Win Conference Title

Reanna Mendoza pitched a five-hit shutout as visiting Cypress beat Saddleback, 2-0, to clinch the Orange Empire Conference softball title Wednesday.

Mandy Rockwell singled in Nicole Dye to give Cypress (44-4, 17-2) a 2-0 lead in the seventh inning.

Cypress’ Jill Tantardini had a home run in the fifth. Mendoza, who is 21-0, got a big assist from left fielder Kelli Falls.

In the sixth inning, Falls threw out a runner trying to score from second on a single, preserving Cypress’ 1-0 lead.

“We were playing really deep,” Cypress Coach Brad Pickler said. “I was almost ready to yell ‘Second base.’ But she threw a perfect strike to home. It was one of the best plays I’ve seen in 10 years.”

Saddleback is 24-10, 13-6.

In other conference games:

Fullerton 2, Riverside 0--Fullerton got RBI singles in the first from Nikia Owens and Rachel Bashore and got a boost from Heidi Menendez, who pitched a three-hitter.

Marisa Ornelas extended her hitting streak to 20 games with an infield single in the fifth inning for the Hornets (24-15, 13-6).

Orange Coast 4, Irvine Valley 3--Irvine Valley (6-23, 3-16) scored three runs on two throwing errors in the seventh. Orange Coast (10-23, 1-18) was led by Carrie Grimson, who had three hits in the Pirates’ first conference victory of the season.