The University of Redlands softball team belted out 26 hits for the second day in a row to take two games from Occidental College in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) doubleheader in Eagle Rock on Saturday. The Bulldogs captured an 8-3 victory in the opening contest and then garnered a 9-0 win in six innings during the nightcap.
With today's wins and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges' loss to the University of La Verne, Redlands moves back into a tie with the Athenas at the top of the SCIAC standings. Both teams have two games remaining as CMS faces Whittier College on April 24 and the Bulldogs take on Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on April 25.
During today's first game, the Maroon and Gray scored in four innings, posting three runs in the first. Senior designated player Amanda Doeppel (Monrovia, CA) led the charge with a single to right field with two outs, plating runners from second and third base.
Senior center fielder Kayla Peterson (San Jose, CA) notched an RBI-single in the second inning to give Redlands a 4-0 lead that it would never relinquish.
Although Occidental eventually pushed three runs across, the Bulldogs poured on four more before the final pitch. Sophomore third baseman Lindsay Henry (Lake Elsinore, CA) connected on a single down the right-field line for two RBI in the fourth inning. Senior catcher Nicky Neumann (Fremont, CA) and junior first baseman Lizett Casillas (Pomona, CA) both plated single runs in the fifth inning.
Senior pitcher Olivia Ellis (Colfax, CA) earned the win from the circle in a complete game. She scattered eight hits and struck out three. She improves to 16-4 on the season.
During the second game, Redlands recorded a run in the top of the first and then continued to score in three of the remaining five innings while shutting out the Tiger offense.
Henry supplied two doubles with three RBI and one run scored. In addition, Neumann, Casillas, Doeppel, and sophomore short stop Kai Masutani (Honolulu, HI) all recorded doubles. Three of the team's two-bag hits came in the fourth inning when Redlands scored four runs.
Sophomore pitcher Breanna Ruelas (Brawley, CA) captured her 10th win of the season. Against the Tigers, she threw five innings and struck out three while giving up only two hits. Freshman pitcher Jessica Wagner (Yucaipa, CA) finished off the game for the Bulldogs in just her second appearance of her young career.
The Bulldogs (28-10, 19-3 SCIAC) next host Pomona-Pitzer on April 25 at 12 noon for their final SCIAC doubleheader of the regular season. This twinbill also marks Senior Day for Neumann, Ellis, Peterson, and Doeppel.