San Marcos’ Gigi Gritt made her first start on the mound and made it count — going the distance with a two-hitter and no earned runs to beat Santa Barbara 7-1 in Channel League action Friday.
Gritt also struck out eight, and at the plate she went 3-for-4 at the plate, including with a first-inning double that drove in Cindy Villa for the Royals’ first run.
San Marcos scored two more runs in the third inning and four in the fifth.
Izabella Velasquez had a 2-for-3 performance for the Royals, including a double, three RBI and a run scored. Emma Foster hit a two-RBI single in the fifth, scoring Kayla Aguilar and Kate Guerra. Caitlyn Early doubled and scored in the third.
San Marcos is now 2-4 overall and 2-1 in league play. The Royals play Santa Paula in the Simi Valley Manlet Tournament Saturday at 8 a.m., with a second game starting at 1:15 p.m.