The 21st-ranked University of Redlands softball team earned a pair of critical non-conference wins on Tuesday afternoon at the Softball "Field of Dreams", downing Willamette University in game one, 4-3, and in the nightcap, 11-3. It took a walk-off hit to earn the triumph in the opener, while in game two, the Bulldogs had to come from behind to secure the non-conference doubleheader sweep and 12th-straight win overall.
In game one, the Maroon and Gray jumped on top of Willamette early, scoring a run in the first and third innings. Sophomore left-fielder AJ Carrasco (Whittier, CA) registered the RBI single up the middle in the first frame for the Bulldogs, while sophomore shortstop Vicki King (Thousand Oaks, CA) notched an RBI double in the third.
The Bearcats tied things up in the fifth inning with a pair of runs, but Redlands regained the advantage with one score in the sixth. Willamette did not go down easily, however, and rallied to score the tying run in the top of the seventh, forcing the Bulldogs to bat in the bottom half of the final frame.
With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom half of the seventh, Carrasco stepped up and laced an RBI single to left field, bringing home the winning run for the U of R in exciting fashion.
Watch the game-winning RBI here.
Earning the win from the circle for the Bulldogs was senior pitcher Kaitlyn Hooper (Riverside, CA), as she went the distance, scattering eight hits and surrendering just three runs in the process.
At the plate, Carrasco led the way with three hits and two RBI, while a slew of Bulldogs tallied one hit in the contest.
In the nightcap, four errors in the top of the first frame led to three Bearcat runs, putting the Bulldogs into an early hole.
The Bulldogs responded with one run in the bottom of the first to cut into the deficit, and then Redlands exploded for a big second inning.
With the bases juiced and one run already across the plate, King cranked a pitch off of the left-centerfield wall, clearing the bases with a long double to give the Bulldogs a 5-3 lead.
The following inning, the U of R opened the floodgates, scoring five more runs. Once again, King provided the power at the plate, this time crushing a pitch to nearly the exact same spot as her hit in the previous inning, but about 10 feet further. The ball cleared the fence for a grand slam, bringing all of her teammates to home plate to celebrate.
Up 10-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldogs needed just one more run to secure the triumph, and they got it via a Bearcat error.
In that explosive game-two win, King recorded an incredible eight RBI on a 3-for-3 performance at the dish, scoring one run in the process. Additionally, senior right-fielder Janelle Carrasco (Whittier, CA) went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a team-best three runs scored.
In the circle, sophomore pitcher Lauren Henson (Highland, CA) executed her game-plan very effectively, allowing just three hits and three unearned runs in the victory.
Redlands (16-6) returns to Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action on Saturday when it travels to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges for a doubleheader with the Athenas. Fans can follow the action through the CMS live stream and live stats.
