REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Softball team (14-8, 4-2 SCIAC) suffered a 6-3 loss in extra-innings Friday afternoon at the Field of Dreams to Pomona-Pitzer as they failed to hold a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning.
Redlands got the offense going early in their opening at-bats with Natalie Horton (Plamdale, CA) leading off the frame with a double to left followed by Avery Duran (Corona, CA) getting hit by a pitch and Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, HI) singling into right field. This loaded the bases but all would be left stranded as PP starter Devin Waddell was able to pick up a force out and a strikeout to end the threat.
After a pair of 1-2-3 Innings from Bulldog starter Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) the Bulldogs found the scoreboard in the third thanks to Kershner who had an RBI-double to right field that plated Alexis Campos (Lake Forest, CA) who reached prior with a double down the left field line.
Gandara held the Sagehens scoreless until a two-run double made it 2-1 P-P in the top of the fifth. The Bulldogs, though, came back with a game-tying solo home run from Campos to deep left and then added a two-out RBI-single up the middle from Brooklyn Bard (Garden Grove, CA) in the bottom half of the frame bringing in Duran and moving the score to 3-2.
The Sagehens scored once in the sixth to tie the game at three and then scored three in the eighth as the Bulldogs dropped their first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) game since March 2.
The top four in the order Horton, Campos, Duran, and Kershner, combined for seven of the Bulldog 11 hits. Bard, Kassidy Long (Hemet, CA), and Layla Mendoza (Salinas, CA) each had a hit apiece.
In the circle Gandara threw 7.1 innings giving up six runs on eight hits and was tagged with the loss as she drops to 6-5. Long finished the eighth with 0.2 innings of work surrendering just a walk.
The Bulldogs head to Claremont, CA for a doubleheader against the Sagehens tomorrow, April 1 with first pitches slated for 12:00pm and 2:00pm.
