The University of Redlands softball team continued to excel during the 2009 campaign as it captured the program’s fifth Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) title in as many years while gaining the automatic bid to the NCAA Championships for the program’s fifth consecutive postseason appearance. The Maroon and Gray eclipsed the 30-win mark for the fifth time in a row, culminating in a 30-12 record to go along with an impressive 20-4 showing in conference competition.

Following an enjoyable outing at the annual alumnae game, the Bulldogs opened the season on Feb. 10 against NAIA opponent Concordia University – Irvine. Redlands held off a late push by the Eagles to capture a 6-5 win in game one as junior pitcher Olivia Ellis (Colfax, CA) recorded her first of 23 victories on the mound for the 2009 season. The softball team suffered a tough decision in the nightcap but quickly rebounded with a resounding win over fellow Division III competitor La Sierra University on Feb. 13. The Bulldogs cranked out 17 runs on just 13 hits in the victory before rain canceled the second game of the twin bill. Sophomore first baseman Lizett Casillas (Pomona, CA) posted an impressive 4-for-4 performance from the plate that included three RBI, four runs scored, and a double.

After splitting results with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges and the University of La Verne, the Bulldogs captured four wins in doubleheader action against Cal Lutheran University and Occidental College. Redlands outscored these opponents 27-7 with impressive offensive outputs by various members of the team, including junior center fielder Kayla Peterson’s (San Jose, CA) SCIAC Athlete of the Week display against the Regals. She went 4-for-5 for an .800 batting average to go along with a slugging percentage of 1.600 and an on-base mark of .833. During the 13-5 win in the first game, she was a home run short of the cycle but batted in a career-high six runs while crossing the plate once.

In mid-March, Redlands faced a slight setback by dropping two games to NAIA opponent Cal State San Marcos but quickly overcame this with a sweep against conference foe Whittier College. In the 7-1 victory over the Poets, junior catcher Nicky Neumann (Fremont, CA) initiated the scoring for the Bulldogs by notching her first of five home runs of the season. The Maroon and Gray rallied from behind in the second game, scoring three runs in the fifth inning to tie the score. Redlands earned the winning run in the top of the sixth as freshman left fielder Kirstie Bender (Lakewood, CA) singled to left field and then freshman short stop Kai Masutani (Honolulu, HI) posted a double to bring her home, resulting in the 6-5 win and doubleheader sweep.

During a four-game, non-conference break, the Bulldogs were tested by Northwest rivals Pacific Lutheran University (WA) and Linfield College (OR), and managed only one win in four outings. This was the only time during the regular season that Redlands dropped back-to-back games.
Regardless, the Maroon and Gray settled back into its winning ways by posting 11 triumphs in the next 12 games, including victories over non-conference competitors Williams College (MA) and Chapman University. Redlands rallied to take two against the Panthers for the first time since 2001. With 31 hits and no errors, the Bulldogs dominated their opponents by scores of 13-5 and 3-0. During the doubleheader, Peterson, freshman right fielder Molly Duran (Corona, CA), and freshman third baseman Lindsay Henry (Lake Elsinore, CA) recorded doubles, while Peterson and Bender tagged triples for Redlands.

The Bulldogs then propelled their way to the top of the conference standings by sweeping La Verne in their second series en route to snapping the Leopards’ 13-game winning streak.

Despite losing single games to CMS and Cal Lutheran, Redlands remained in first place by taking two each from Pomona-Pitzer Colleges and Whittier College. With their fifth SCIAC championship in hand, the Bulldogs earned the No. 1 seed and the right to host the second annual SCIAC Postseason Tournament, which determined the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.

Following painful defeat in last year’s championship game, the Redlands softball team grew from that experience and won its way to the 2009 title with gutsy victories in every game. After holding off a determined Whittier squad in the opener, the Bulldogs took down La Verne in an exciting 2-0 showing of two very talented teams. Redlands initiated the scoring early with an RBI-single by senior second baseman Dory Baga (Aiea, HI) that plated Neumann, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the first inning. After five and a half innings of scoreless play, Neumann supplied her fifth home run of the season as she sent the ball over the left field fence. This was all the offense that the Bulldogs needed, as Ellis went the distance on the mound, scattering five hits and striking out six batters in seven innings.

This led the team to a match-up with CMS, the only conference team to split both series with the Bulldogs during the regular season. Nonetheless, the Maroon and Gray remained steadfast in its goals and knocked out the Athenas by a score of 5-1. Playing as the visiting team in the championship game, Redlands took the lead in the top of the third inning when Baga hit a three-run shot over the left field fence to score Peterson and Casillas. Following two insurance runs in the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs captured their 30th win of the season and punched their ticket to Marshall, Texas.

Entering the NCAA Championships for the fifth consecutive time, the Bulldogs faced a challenging road as the No. 4 seed. The softball team kicked off the tournament with a battle against the University of Texas – Tyler but came up short to the No. 4 team in the nation by a score of 1-2. With the loss, the Bulldogs faced top-ranked Linfield College (OR) in the final game of the day. Despite a four-run effort in the fifth inning, the Bulldogs fell to the Wildcats, 5-8, resulting in the end of the 2009 season.
Neumann landed on the NCAA All-Tournament Team as an at-large honoree. During the First Round of the NCAA Championships, she went 3-for-7 at the plate with one double. She provided two RBI, one run, and four total bases for a slugging percentage of .571. She also made seven putouts and two assists with no errors as the Bulldogs' starting catcher.

In addition, Redlands landed six on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region teams. Neumann and Casillas earned First-Team honors while Ellis, Baga, Peterson, and Henry garnered spots on the Second Team.

Finally, Henry headed up the Bulldogs on the All-SCIAC teams, earning Rookie of the Year honors. Ellis, Baga, Neumann, Doeppel, and Peterson were named to the First Team. Casillas gained Second-Team honors to go along with her CoSIDA Academic All-District award for her success on the field and in the classroom.

In terms of records, the Bulldogs now own three career records while landing among the program’s top 10 in various others. With one more year to play, Neumann sits in a tie for the most doubles in a career at 34. In only two seasons, Casillas boasts the best fielding percentage at .995 with over 370 attempts and only two errors. Ellis broke the career strikeout record with 335 and looks forward to building upon that number during her senior campaign.

While returning a hearty crew of competitors, the 2009 softball team welcomed six freshmen to the squad and four of them earned the starting nod to open the season. With the leadership of seniors Roxy Lambert (La Jolla, CA), Jennie Fregoso (Bloomington, CA), and Baga, the Bulldogs boasted yet another impressive run of victories that culminated in the program’s sixth overall conference title and fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships. With a talented foundation of returnees, the future of Bulldog softball remains bright as each member offers impressive dedication, determination and enthusiasm.