The University of Redlands softball team jumped back into Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) competition with Saturday's doubleheader at the University of La Verne. While showcasing their potent offense, the Bulldogs fired off 18 hits, including seven multi-baggers, to put together a 14-7 win in the opening game. Unfortunately, the bats went cold in game two as the Maroon and Gray suffered a 0-9 defeat to split the series with La Verne.
During the first contest, Redlands got on the board in the top of the first frame by capitalizing on a ULV defensive error.
However, the Leopards quickly answered with a five-spot in the bottom of the first, forcing Head Coach Dani Spaulding to pull sophomore starter Courtney Ludlow (Petaluma, CA) from the circle. Junior pitcher Lauren Henson (Highland, CA) stepped in and proceeded to shut out the opponents over the next 3.2 innings en route to the important win.
Redlands gained a spark of offensive life in the top of the third, as graduate student right-fielder Amanda Lievanos (Anaheim, CA) blasted the 27th homerun of her career.
Freshman short stop Shannon Skrzynski (Pomona, CA) followed suit with a long ball of her own in the fifth, plating three runs in the process to make it a tied ball game.
After La Verne regained the lead at 6-5 in the subsequent frame, the Bulldogs answered right back with nine runs over the next two innings to secure the victory. Junior first baseman Vicki King (Thousand Oaks, CA) connected on a double and a single for three RBI, while junior designated player Grace Rose (Villa Park, CA) fired off a lucrative single through the left side to bring home a pair of runs.
Overall, King and Skrzynski led the team's offensive performance with three RBI and two hits apiece. Junior center-fielder AJ Carrasco (Whittier, CA) also came up clutch by leading off with a 3-for-5 showing en route to scoring three runs. Lievanos crossed home plate on four occasions while going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Henson gained the win after throwing 6.1 innings. She scattered 12 hits but allowed only two runs.
Unfortunately for the Maroon and Gray, the momentum shifted back into the hands of the home team, as the Leopards gained a solid performance from their bats and pitching staff in game two.
Carrasco and freshman second baseman Haley Farr (Chino, CA) each recorded two hits but were left stranded on the bases in the shutout loss.
Redlands (11-11, 5-9 SCIAC) returns home to the friendly surroundings of the "Field of Dreams" for Monday's twin bill against in-region foe Linfield College (OR) at 2 p.m.
