SOFTBALL: TO THE VICTOR GO THE OEC SPOILS
The Orange Empire Conference team was officially announced on Monday, and eight awards were given to the championship-winning Fullerton squad.
It was the best season for head coaches Crystal Aguirre and Marian "Speedy" Mendoza, who took the team to heights it had not seen in over twenty years, winning the Orange Empire Championship with an overall record of 21-5. For their efforts, the coaches were named as the OEC "Coaching Staff of the Year".
Leading the conference with 126 strikeouts, sophomore pitcher Jessica Lopez was honored as the "Most Valuable Pitcher" She ended the season with a 1.86 earned run average, while racking up an impressive 14-4 record.
A brick wall defender behind the plate, freshman catcher Alondra Natera was named as "Defensive Player of the Year". She led the team with 108 putouts, threw out 4 runners, and had only 3 passed balls.
Freshman shortstop Dee Ramirez and freshman left fielder Miranda Rooney earned first team honors. Ramirez tied for the conference lead for homeruns with 4 and led all in doubles with 10. She was second in the OEC with 30 runs, and was also third in hits with 34. Ramirez batted .391 with 20 RBI and struck out only one time in 87 at bats. Rooney led the Hornets in batting at .402, while accumulating 31 hits, 19 runs, 9 RBI, and 6 stolen bases. She also had 8 doubles and 2 triples.
Sophomore Natalie Gonzalez (2B), freshman Madison Pevehouse (1B), and freshman Madison Ferguson (RF) were second team selections. Gonzalez batted .388 with 26 hits, 18 runs, 6 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. Pevehouse batted .271, had 19 hits with 20 RBI. Ferguson batted .338 with 25 hits, 23 runs, 10 RBI, and was second in the conference with 16 stolen bases. She also had 8 doubles on the year.
2021 All-OEC TEAM
Most Valuable Player – Emily Rosas, Santa Ana College
Most Valuable Pitcher – Jessica Lopez, Fullerton College
Coaching Staff of the Year – Fullerton College
Defensive Player of the Year – Alondra Natera, Fullerton College
First Team All-Orange Empire Conference
Dee Ramirez – Fullerton College
Miranda Rooney – Fullerton College
Emily Rosas – Santa Ana College
Shelby Macias – Santa Ana College
Alyssa Huerta – Cypress College
Emily Rush – Cypress College
Sabrina Rivera – Santiago Canyon College
Hailey Guillen – Santiago Canyon College
Amaya White – Orange Coast College
Hailey Pichardo – Orange Coast College
Rachel Varela – Saddleback College
Second Team All-Orange Empire Conference
Natalie Gonzalez – Fullerton College
Madison Pevehouse – Fullerton College
Madison Ferguson – Fullerton College
Airilin Ramirez – Santa Ana College
Iyari Ramirez – Santa Ana College
Jordan Westerfield – Santa Ana College
Jordan Thompson – Cypress College
Paige Shafer – Cypress College
Eliza Sandoval – Cypress College
Camryn Addimando – Cypress College
Samantha Villanueva – Santiago Canyon College
Liliana Navarro – Santiago Canyon College
Kaitlyn Steffins – Orange Coast College
Maddi Knight – Orange Coast College
Caitlin Bradley-Tse – Orange Coast College
Marlyn Francisco – Saddleback College
Emma Estep – Saddleback College
Jazmine Rodriguez – Golden West College
Cieanna Parker-Islas – Golden West College
Sennie Viramontes – Golden West College
