Just over half way through the season and Fresno City College’s softball team is once again competing for the Central Valley Conference crown, which they won in 2012.
The team started the season ranked No. 11 in the California Community College Fast Pitch Coaches Association State Poll and No. 5 in the Northern California Poll.
Led by the pitching of Grace Combs and the offense of Rainie Thiessen, Adriana Bencomo and Kyla Cisneros, the Rams started the season winning seven of their first eight games.
They’ve slowed just a bit since coming to a record of 13-5, second in the central valley conference behind College of the Sequoias.
“We really rely on Grace’s pitching,” said Williams. “She had to carry the load for a while and she really came through for us.”
Combs has the conference lead in strikeouts with 51 and also leads in wins with six. Her earned run average of 3.42 is good enough for third.
“She really knows how to compete and she has tons of experience but hopefully with the return of Kassandra Workentine we can back off the number of innings she’s throwing,” said Williams.
Thiessen is first in on base percentage at .604 and second in batting with an average of .500. She has also recorded three triples which ranks second and 21 runs which is the fourth highest in the conference.
Bencomo ranks third with a .462 batting average, fifth in hits with 24 and sixth in runs with 19. Cisneros has done her share as she is No. 1 with five home runs and an .880 slugging percentage.
She is also second in runs batted in, fourth in triples and eighth in batting average.
“To be a really good team you have to have all three components: pitching, offense and defense,” said Williams. “And we have been really solid in all three, all season long.”
The team has a .953 fielding percentage, the best in the conference and only 20 errors which is the second fewest in the conference.
“We can play really good defense but unfortunately defense can’t score you runs,” said Williams.
The Rams have recorded 76 strikeouts while only giving up 99 hits. Their team ERA of 3.79 is second best in the conference.
The offense is moving along just as impressively. They have a team batting average of .362, an on base percentage of .430 and a .548 slugging percentage which all rank second in the conference.
“Our offense has really surprised me but this is a funny game. You can score a bunch of runs one game and then get shutout the next,” said Williams.
The team currently ranks No. 10 in all of California and No. 6 in northern California.
“We have really got to take this one game at a time and if we just handle our business day by day, then we should be in a pretty good spot once it’s all over,” said Williams.
The next chance to catch the softball team in action at home will be Thursday March 21 when the Rams take on Reedley College at 2 p.m.
