The University of Redlands softball team continued its 2015 campaign by hosting a non-conference doubleheader against the George Fox University (OR) Bruins on Sunday. The Bulldogs fell by a score of 2-4 in the first game but battled back to win the second game, 3-1.
Sophomore hurler Courtney Ludlow (Petaluma, CA) was handed the ball for the game-one start and held the Bruins scoreless through the first two frames with a flawless defense behind her.
The Bulldogs grabbed the first score of the contest in the bottom of the second inning when freshman third basemen Lauren Hernandez (Littleton, CO) notched a seeing-eye single through the right side to score junior left-fielder AJ Carrasco (Whittier, CA).
However, George Fox took a 4-1 lead over the following two-and-a-half innings, as highlighted by a Kayla Anderson two-run shot in the top of the third.
Down by three heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldogs capitalized on a pair of miscues by the Bruin defense. Senior Aisha Salami (Gardena, CA) stepped in as a pinch-hitter and reached base on a hit-by-pitch. Moments later, she swiped second then advanced to third base on a throwing error from the Bruins' catcher. Freshman shortstop Shannon Skrzynski (Pomona, CA) pushed across Salami when she reached on error to cut the deficit down to two runs.
However, the Bulldogs' rally fell short, resulting in the 2-4 defeat in game one.
Ludlow picked up the loss after tossing four innings. Sophomore reliever Casey Maltz (Palo Alto, CA) entered the game in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and wiggled out of the jam by only allowing one run. She remained highly effective during the next two innings by keeping George Fox off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
At the plate, Carrasco went 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Hernandez notched a 2-for3 effort with an RBI.
In game two, junior Lauren Henson (Highland, CA) hopped into the circle for the start. After allowing one GFU run to cross the plate in the top of the first inning, she was lights for the Bulldogs, as she tossed up six-straight goose eggs to complete the game.
Junior second baseman Addie Oeleis (Temecula, CA) took matters into her own hands in the bottom of the third by crushing a leadoff two-bagger. Just pitches later, Oeleis stole third on a fake-bunt play, forcing the catcher to make her second throwing error of the day, which plated Oeleis for the Bulldogs' 1-0 lead.
The Maroon and Gray added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth frame. With the bases juiced after a single from Hernandez, a walk to sophomore center-fielder Marissa Romero (Manteca, CA), and Skrzynski reaching on an error, graduate student outfielder Amanda Lievanos (Anaheim, CA) blasted a deep fly ball to center field for a sacrifice fly that scored freshman pinch-runner Beverlee Valerio (Monrovia, CA). Sophomore first baseman Vicki King (Thousand Oaks, CA) followed suit by driving a single up the middle to score Romero for the 3-1 advantage.
A two-run lead was all that Henson needed, as she cruised through the next two innings to secure a 3-1 victory. She tossed a complete game and picked up the victory after allowing just one run and scattering 10 hits.
Oeleis went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, while King notched a 2-for-2 showing with a double and an RBI.
The Bulldogs (3-5, 1-3 SCIAC) return to Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) competition on Saturday, February 28, when they travel to Whittier College for a 12 noon doubleheader against the Poets.
