The No. 18 University of Redlands softball team took care of business at the Softball "Field of Dreams" on Senior Day, cruising to a pair of victories over the visiting Tigers of Occidental College, 7-2 and 7-0. With the wins, the Bulldogs clinched the program's 10th-consecutive and 11th overall Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championship and will host the upcoming SCIAC Postseason Tournament on May 2-3.
Prior to the game, the Maroon and Gray honored its six seniors with a short ceremony and traditional first pitch with the parents.
Against the Tigers, senior center-fielder Amanda Lievanos (Anaheim, CA) initiated the scoring with a two-run shot over the left-center fence, plating senior catcher Kristen Hooper (Riverside, CA) in the bottom of the first inning.
Redlands enjoyed a four-spot in the third frame by firing off four hits and taking advantage of three Tiger miscues. Junior first baseman Nikoli Sharp (Lincoln, CA) uncorked a two-RBI double to highlight the inning.
Despite giving up two runs in the top of the sixth, the Bulldogs remained in control through the final out. Senior Kaitlyn Hooper (Riverside, CA) unleashed her 18th win of the season from the circle, scattering six hits and allowing just one earned run.
Senior right-fielder Janelle Carrasco (Whittier, CA) led the Bulldog offense with a 3-for-3 performance, while Lievanos and Sharp each tallied two hits.
During the second game, the Maroon and Gray continued to impress at the plate while the defense shut down the Tigers, resulting in a 7-0, title-clinching victory for Redlands.
After Lievanos put the Bulldogs on the board with her second long ball of the day, the team tacked on two more runs in the second stanza, with senior designated player Erika Houseman (Scotts Valley, CA) registering an RBI. With two runners in scoring position, she connected on a short single that bounced through the left side, plating her second run of the day.
Having missed most of the season due to injury, Houseman made her return to action just in time for Senior Day, going 3-for-6 with two RBI as the designated player.
In the top of the third, the Bulldog defense stepped up to preserve the shutout by getting out of a bases-loaded jam.
In the subsequent frame, Lievanos then uncorked her third dinger of the day, launching the ball over the left-field fence in impressive fashion.
Watch her 33rd career homerun here.
With two outs in the fifth, senior second baseman Amanda Clark (Riverside, CA) singled through the left side to load the bases, before Kaitlyn Hooper walked in a run to make it 5-0 for the Bulldogs.
To top off a stellar day, sophomore outfielder AJ Carrasco (Whittier, CA) came up with the goods in the bottom of the seventh, when she rocketed a two-run shot over the right-field fence for the Bulldogs' 7-0 final tally.
After freshman pitcher Courtney Ludlow (Petaluma, CA) provided a strong, three-inning effort from the circle, sophomore pitcher Lauren Henson (Highland, CA) finished the job to preserve the win.
Lievanos finished her regular-season home stand with a 3-for-3 showing with two runs and two RBI. After the game, she shared her thoughts on the significance of today's wins.
Redlands (26-10, 22-4 SCIAC) heads to the University of La Verne on Saturday for its final doubleheader of the regular season, beginning at 12 noon.
