REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Softball teams opened up their home 2023 schedule Friday afternoon splitting with Whitworth University 7-2 and 13-5 (5-Innings).
Game 1 (L, 7-2)
The Bulldogs fell behind 2-0 in the top half of the first, but they were able to pull a run back in the bottom of the inning capitalizing on a Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA) single to center and an Alexis Campos (Lake Forest, CA) double down the left field line. First-year Madison Lourenco (Fontana, CA) scored that run with an RBI-groundout.
After a pair of Pirates scored in the third, Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, HI) drove in the second UR run with a base knock up the middle to move the score to 4-2, plating Adyson Kim (Millbrae, CA) who reached earlier on a double to right field. But these would be the only runs scored the rest of the way as the U of R lost 7-2 giving up two more runs in the fourth and another in the fifth.
Redlands only allowed four unearned runs on the afternoon as Ally Forbell (Salinas, CA) picked up the loss going 3.0 Innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits. Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) came on in relief and threw four innings with only one earned run and three strikeouts.
Game 2 (W, 13-5 | 5 innings)
The second game started the same way as game one, with the Pirates scoring first, this time on a three-run shot to left field. Despite the slow start, the Bulldogs were able to put together five unanswered through the third as they went ahead 5-3.
In the first Kershner picked up an RBI on a single to right that scored Horton. Redlands then took the lead in the second thanks to a trio of RBI's from Campos, Kershner, and Kim. The Bulldogs combined for three runs on four hits as Annissa Dorres (Mentone, CA) tripled to dead center, Kim a base hit to right, Campos sending one to left and Kershner driving one down the left field line.
Whitworth pulled within a run in the top of the fourth, but that's as close as they would get as Redlands put the game away with a six-run fourth inning coming on four hits. Campos picked up her second RBI on the game as she plated Kim who reached on a walk. Kershner then continued her hot hitting with a two-run triple to right-center that made it 8-4 scoring Campos and Horton. Then Annabelle Gutierrez (Gilroy, CA) and Avery Duran (Corona, CA) each drove home their first runs with a base hit to left for Gutierrez and a two-run double to right center for Duran.
The Bulldogs finished off the run-rule victory with a pair of doubles in the fifth off the bats of Kershner and Gutierrez sealing the win.
Campos, Kershner, Gutierrez, and Dorres all had multi-hit games. Kershner led the way with career-highs of five RBI's and four hits. Campos tied her career-high with three hits, which she has now totaled four times in her career.
After a tough first inning for starter Brianna Garcia (Riverside, CA), she settled down and finished her first career start with three, one-run innings as she earned her first collegiate win.