There’s another benefit to playing well in the community college softball playoffs in addition to winning games and advancing: Staying alive in the postseason provides more opportunities for four-year college coaches to see you.
College of the Canyons beat Southwestern College of Chula Vista 4-3 on Friday and 10-5 on Saturday in the first round of the California Community College Athletic Association playoffs and will now play in a Super Regional starting Friday.
COC coach John Wissmath said he received four emails Monday from four-year schools asking about his team.
MORE: SCV Sports Report: COC softball gets first-round win
“Some (four-year) colleges are done playing (for the year),” Wissmath said. “They get an opportunity to catch some of those postseason games and come by to watch and see kids making some great plays.”
One of those plays came in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday when COC shortstop Danielle Chatman caught a line drive and threw it to third for a double play with the bases loaded.
The highlight, followed by a strikeout from pitcher Alexis Ramirez, kept the score tied 3-3 and sent the game to extras.
Heidi Ludy singled in Sienna Vannoy in the top of the eighth for the game-winning run.
On Saturday, the Cougars (30-11-1) used 11 hits to score 10 runs in a comfortable series clincher.
Then Wissmath received emails from four NCAA Division 2 schools.
“(It’s like), ‘We see you guys doing well in the postseason, and we’re interested in a few of your players,’” Wissmath said, later adding, “You could be a team that’s not in the postseason with two really good players, and they could be overlooked.”
That hasn’t been a problem for the Cougars, who will make their second-straight Super Regional appearance.
Last year, COC beat Santa Barbara but lost to Mt. San Antonio College of Walnut twice to be eliminated from the tournament.
This time the Cougars will open at 42-0 Cypress College.
“That will be a heck of a battle,” Wissmath said.
COC baseball
The Cougars’ season ended Saturday as they lost 9-6 to Santa Ana in the deciding game of the CCCAA SoCal Regional at home. COC (28-14) won 4-1 earlier that day to force the third game.
