The University of Redlands softball team returned to Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action on Saturday by hosting the Regals of Cal Lutheran University in a doubleheader at the Field of Dreams. With plenty of comebacks and excitement, the Bulldogs split results after losing the opener, 3-4, and then rallying to win the second by a score of 9-8 in 10 innings with the international tiebreaker.
During the night cap, the Bulldogs struck first in the bottom of the first frame when junior first baseman Vicki King (Thousand Oaks, CA) hammered a single up the middle to plate sophomore outfielder Marissa Romero (Manteca, CA) from second. Redlands took a 2-0 lead with a single to right field by freshman second baseman Haley Farr (Chino, CA), bringing home graduate student Amanda Lievanos (Anaheim, CA), who also singled up the middle.
However, the Regals answered back with a pair of runs of their own to even the tally at two apiece in the top of the second inning.
The back-and-forth drama continued, as the Bulldogs regained the lead at 4-2 in the bottom of the frame. After junior outfielder AJ Carrasco (Whittier, CA) tripled to deep center-field, Romero made her way to second on a single and stolen base. With two runners on, King stepped up for her team with a double to left-center to push her teammates across home plate.
Both teams rallied for a three-spot in the fourth stanza, with Farr, freshman third baseman Lauren Hernandez (Littleton, CO), and freshman pinch-hitter Olivia Vierra (Burlingame, CA) providing RBI for the Bulldogs' 7-5 advantage.
But the Regals refused to go away, tying it up again with two runs in the top of the fifth.
Despite their respective chances in the subsequent frames, neither team successfully scored to break the tie, resulting in the extended contest.
At the start of the 10th, the international tiebreaker went into play, placing the last out on second base. CLU converted a run on a sacrifice bunt and an error by the Maroon and Gray defense. But junior pitcher Lauren Henson (Highland, CA) forced the Regals into a double play to halt the scoring.
In a must-score situation, Redlands rallied to tie it up after junior pinch-hitter Grace Rose (Villa Park, CA) unleashed a short hit to the outfield, plating sophomore designated player Amanda Ang (Santa Cruz, CA) from third. As the CLU pitcher struggled to find her spots, she walked the next two Bulldog batters to load the bases. The trend continued as Farr was given a free pass to walk in the game-winning run.
Henson went the distance for the Bulldogs, scattering 13 hits and allowing five earned runs for her sixth win of the season.
Farr and King each tallied three RBI, while Romero scored three times.
In the opening game, the teams traded scores throughout the contest, with CLU earning the 4-2 advantage in the top of the fifth. Redlands answered with one run in the bottom of the frame when freshman shortstop Shannon Skrzynski (Pomona, CA) blasted a single to right field to score Ang, who pinch-ran for King after her single up the middle.
CLU appeared to be knocking on the door in the sixth by loading the bases with two outs. However, Henson stepped into the circle to relieve sophomore starter Courtney Ludlow (Petaluma, CA) and successfully get out of the jam by forcing a fly-out.
Despite a last-inning opportunity to score from third, the Bulldogs left the runner on and suffered the 3-4 loss.
Skrzynski provided two RBI in the game while going 2-for-3 at the plate.
Redlands (8-10, 4-8 SCIAC) next welcomes Grinnell College (IA) to the Field of Dreams on Tuesday, March 17, for a 2 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.
