The 20th-ranked University of Redlands softball team finished off the regular season by capturing its 10th consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship to earn the right to host the seventh annual SCIAC Postseason Tournament, which takes place on Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3, at the "Field of Dreams."
Playing as the top seed, the Bulldogs face fourth-seeded Whittier College in Friday's 9 a.m. game, with No. 2-seed Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges and third-seeded Chapman University battling it out at 11:30 a.m. The double-elimination tournament continues at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Friday, with games set for Saturday at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and then 4 p.m. if necessary.
Admission is free but no pets of any kind are allowed at the field.
SCIAC Postseason Tournament T-shirts will be sold behind home plate, with short-sleeved shirts for $15 and long-sleeved shirts for $20.
The winner of the 2014 SCIAC Postseason Tournament earns the automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, which begin May 9 with the first round of regional competition at a site to be determined.
Redlands has put together a 26-8 overall record in Interim Head Coach Dani Spaulding's first year with the team. She led the Bulldogs to a 22-4 showing in SCIAC competition for the program's 10th consecutive and 11th overall title. The Bulldogs have advanced to the SCIAC Postseason Tournament every year since its inception in 2008, and garnered a spot in the NCAA Championships during each of the past nine seasons.
Against the top-four conference opponents, Redlands owns a 9-3 record while sweeping the No. 2 Athenas in both doubleheaders.
The Bulldogs rely on the steady contributions of senior pitcher Kaitlyn Hooper (Riverside, CA), who boasts an 18-3 overall record and two saves from the circle. Equipped with an ERA of 1.60, she has stepped up in her final season by throwing 144.1 innings for the Maroon and Gray.
Whittier relies on a three-pronged offense that includes Mickala Gonzales, Samantha Mellano, and Courtney Delano, as the only Poets with 20 or more RBI. Gonzales leads the team with a batting average of .345, which includes 10 home runs. She also accounts for 36 RBI, 41 hits, and 28 runs scored. Mellano possesses 37 hits and 21 RBI. Delano serves as a great asset for the Poets, both in the batting order and in the circle. Offensively, she sits second among the starters with a .339 batting average to go along with 29 RBI and 39 hits. As a pitcher, she accounts for 155 innings pitched with 96 strikeouts and a 1.90 ERA.
CMS returns to the SCIAC Postseason Tournament as a familiar foe to this event. With an overall mark of 25-12, the Athenas broke the 20-win mark in SCIAC while going 7-5 against the tournament field.
The squad looks to Tara Robinson to spearhead the offense with a .455 average. While revealing her speed on the bases, she boasts 35 runs scored and 23 stolen bases. Katie Savard serves as the team's clutch-hitter with 35 RBI.
Hayley Shultz continues to headline the Athena pitching staff with 114.2 innings and a 12-4 record this season. Her ERA of 1.04 is best among the tournament field.
No. 3 Chapman makes a repeat appearance at the SCIAC Postseason Tournament in only the Panthers' second year in the conference. The team arrives at the 2014 event with a 24-16 overall record and a 17-11 SCIAC mark. Chapman went .500 against the tournament field, with its best series coming against Redlands on April 12 when it swept the Bulldogs.
Offensively, Lisa Perez leads the team with a batting average of .330 that includes 13 multi-bag hits. Taylor Cartwright owns 25 RBI on the season with a .270 average.
Natalie Both and Cassie Oregel have combined forces from the circle to account for 258 innings and 269 strikeouts this season. Both boasts a slightly better ERA at 1.82 but Oregel's record impresses at 14-6.
Fans may follow all of the action of the 2014 SCIAC Postseason Tournament via live stats.