The University of Redlands softball team headed to Orange County on Friday afternoon for game one of the series against the Chapman University Panthers. The Maroon and Gray edged out a 2-0 win behind stellar pitching from senior Danielle Stallings (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) to go 4-0 in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play.
Although the Bulldogs gained baserunners in the top of the first, the offense ran out before they could be brought all the way home.
Stallings picked up her hitters in the bottom of the first, striking out the first batter looking. She retired the next two Panthers to put Redlands back on offense quickly.
Both pitchers continued to roll through the lineups in the second and third innings.
Sophomore center fielder Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, HI) single-handedly put the Bulldogs on the board with a solo shot over the left-field fence for a 1-0 Bulldog advantage. Redlands followed this with more baserunners but Chapman's pitcher secured the final two outs before the Bulldogs could score another.
Stallings continued to impress going 1, 2, 3 in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings adding two more Ks.
However, Chapman made things interesting in the bottom of the sixth with a runner in scoring position, but the Maroon and Gray defense rolled up a fielder's choice and a groundout not allowing the Panthers to do any damage.
Redlands tacked on its final run in the top of the seventh on two hits. With two outs, junior shortstop Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA) singled to right field and advanced to second on the subsequent walk. Senior left fielder Tsianina Flores (Corona, CA) sent Horton home on a base hit to left-center for a 2-0 score.
Although Chapman led off the bottom of the seventh with a double, Stallings once again put trust in her defense and captured all three outs in the field to take home a solid, 2-0, win.
Stallings went the distance and struck out seven in seven innings and did not give out a walk.
The Bulldogs (4-4, 4-0 SCIAC) welcome the Chapman Panthers to the Field of Dreams for a doubleheader on Sunday, April 18, at 12 noon and 2:30 p.m.