Norco softball team routs King following fifth-inning offensive outburst

NORCO - The Norco and King softball teams appeared headed for another dramatic finish Friday afternoon.

However, all of the suspense disappeared after Norco sent 13 batters to plate in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Cougars recorded eight hits and scored nine runs during that decisive frame, turning a one-run game into an 11-1 victory. Norco extended its lead in the Big VIII League’s title race to two games with three left to play.

King (18-6 overall, 5-2 in league) managed only one hit and two baserunners against Norco’s Coral Williams through the first four innings. The Wolves finally broke through in the fifth. Lynnette Vu led off with a double to wall in right-center field. Taylor Anderson doubled to the same spot, scoring Vu and trimming the deficit to 2-1.

Williams avoided any further damage, ending the threat with a strikeout to strand runners at second and third.

Norco (21-2, 7-0) had some trouble solving King freshman pitcher Ryder Bishop early. The Cougars took the lead with a pair of unearned runs in the opening inning, but Bishop worked out of jams in the third and fourth.

But things changed in the fifth, after Norco’s coaching staff told their hitters to take a step or two off the plate.

Angelina Gonzales started that frame with a double down the left-field line. Savannah Gonzalez then roped a ball to center field that rolled all the way to the wall and circled the bases for a two-run, inside-the-park homer.

“I thought, “dang, he (Norco coach Rick Robinson) is sending me?” said Gonzalez, who has been battling a few injuries in recent weeks. “We know their pitchers like to work in. So I took a step back and didn’t miss it.”

Mackenzie Carlone replaced Bishop inside the circle, but the hits kept coming for the Cougars.

Zoe Salazar delivered a pinch-hit, two-run triple and Kendra Nelsen, Sadie Burroughs and Gonzalez each had RBI singles to extend the advantage to 9-1. Leighton Gray capped Norco’s big fifth-inning outburst with a two-run double.

“Offense was huge today,” Robinson said. “We got the two early runs, but they (the Wolves) put themselves right back in the game. The offense immediately answered. We had a game plan. We know their pitchers are around the plate. So, the approach was not to take a lot of pitches. Swing the bat, and good things happen.”

Williams also responded well after giving up three hits in the fifth. Only one batter reached base over the final two innings, and it was on a dropped-third strike. Williams held King in check in different ways. She recorded 10 outs on the ground across the first four innings, and seven of her nine strikeouts came over the final three.

“I just got back to focusing on the things that I can control,” Williams said about resetting after the fifth inning. “It’s hard to do at times, trying to silence everything and concentrate on batters. I tried to keep things simple.”

Angelina Gonzales and Savannah Gonzalez both went 3 for 3 with a sacrifice bunt for Norco.

King leadoff hitter Addison Christensen had two of the four hits Williams allowed.

Robinson picked up his 749th career win Friday, tying him for seventh place in state history, according to the Calhisports.com record book. He goes for his 750th win Wednesday, when the Cougars travel at Roosevelt.

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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 9:52 PM.