EAGLE ROCK, Calif. – The University of Redlands Softball team (23-12, 13-6 SCIAC) won the opening game of their series with Occidental College 3-0 on Friday afternoon.
Pitcher Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) gave herself the lead in the top of the second when she singled into right field scoring Kassidy Long (Hemet, CA) who walked to lead off the inning.
In the third Isabella Culp (Hanford, CA) doubled to left center driving in Alexis Campos (Lake Forest, CA) for the 2-0 lead. The inning started with Campos who walked and then a second walk for Long sandwiched around a strikeout before Culp got her RBI.
The Bulldogs' 2-0 lead held up through five innings thanks to five no-hit innings from Gandara. The third and final run of the game for Redlands came in the sixth when Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA) doubled home Avery Duran (Corona, CA) after she walked to leadoff the inning, as all three players who scored had reached base on lead off walks.
Gandara was looking for a no-hitter with 5.2 hitless innings, but a two-out Tiger hit broke that up, though she finished the inning with a ground ball she handled herself to end the sixth. In the final frame she went three up three down for her 13th win of the season.
Culp went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk as her average in conference play is now .326 and on base percentage is .396. Campos reached safely three times with a hit, two walks, and a run scored. Long had the same line as Campos and the Bulldogs had seven hitters reach safely.
In the circle Gandara threw seven one-hit innings as only two total Tigers reached safely; she also added a pair of strikeouts as her earned run average (ERA) drops to a 1.59 in SCIAC play. Her overall ERA of 1.73 would rank as the ninth lowest in single-season program history if her season ended today.
Redlands will end their regular season with senior day tomorrow, Saturday, May 6 as they host Occidental for a doubleheader with first pitch of game one at noon and senior ceremonies beginning prior to the first pitch.