This one did not go the distance.

Santa Monica College/s leadoff batter broke up Hancock College pitcher Crystal Garcia/s perfect game with a double in the fifth, and then the Corsairs suddenly had runners on second and third base with no outs.

Garcia proceeded to retire the next three batters, and Hancock had an 11-0 win Tuesday. This Western State Conference inter-division softball game was called after the top of the fifth inning because of the 10-run rule.

Hancock improved to 2-1 in the Western State Conference and 3-7 overall.

Nika Miller/s last softball game before this season was a year and a half ago in a fast-pitch recreation league. The first baseman recently hit three back-to-back home runs, worth a total of seven runs, in the Bulldogs/ 11-7 WSC interdivision win against Citrus.

Tuesday she hit a two-run triple in the Bulldogs/ seven-run second inning. Shortstop Stephanie Silva hit a two-run triple in the third. Silva went 2-for-3 and scored three times.

Brenna Mackeprange had an RBI double for one of Hancock/s hits.

Miller said, "It took me a shorter time than I thought it would, actually, to get back to where I was," hitting-wise after her rec league days were through.

"I played until I was 19. That was the latest you could play," Miller said. Miller graduated from Righetti in 2001.

"I heard they needed players, so I decided to come out," Miller said of her decision to play softball for Hancock for the first time.

"I/d wanted to play before, but I was doing track." Miller was a state finalist in the shot put and discus last year, her final year of eligibility in track at Hancock.

The hammer is her best event, but she fouled out in that one at the Southern California Regionals last year. "I/ve been talking to a couple of colleges, Northridge, Cal Poly," about competing in track for them next season, Miller said.

"I help coach the track team here. In fact, I/m going right over there to practice," she said after the game Tuesday. "I work out with some of the athletes I help coach. That helps me stay in shape."

Hancock coach Eddie Grose acknowledged that the pitching his team was up against Tuesday wasn/t exactly top notch but, "I/ve had teams here before that couldn/t hit that kind of pitching.

"We were patient at the plate." The Bulldogs had eight walks and two hit batsmen.

March 03, 2004