The University of Redlands softball team rolled into its second-consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) doubleheader in as many days by facing off against the Occidental College Tigers on a beautiful day at the "Field of Dreams" on Saturday. The Maroon and Gray earned a split with the Tigers, as it dropped the first game, 6-7, in extra innings, but rallied back for a walk-off win in the nightcap by a score of 5-4.
During the opener, the Tigers threw up a crooked number in the top of the first inning by plating four runs to start the game. In addition, they added another run in the top of the second to grab a quick 5-0 advantage.
Nevertheless, the Bulldogs hopped on the board in the bottom of the third inning after junior first baseman Vicki King (Thousand Oaks, CA) put the ball in play to force a Tiger fielding blunder, allowing junior center-fielder AJ Carrasco (Whittier, CA) to touch home.
Redlands continued to chip away at the deficit, as graduate student right-fielder Amanda Lievanos (Anaheim, CA) punched a single up the middle to score Carrasco. After King reached base via walk, freshman second baseman Haley Farr (Chino, CA) notched a single through the right side, plating senior pinch-runner Aisha Salami (Gardena, CA) and King to trim the deficit to 4-5.
After Occidental pushed another run across in the top of the sixth, the Bulldogs remained relentless at forging a comeback. Junior catcher Dani Santos (West Covina, CA) connected on a one-out double to set up an RBI-opportunity. Freshman pinch-hitter Olivia Vierra (Burlingame, CA) stepped up with a big-time poke up the middle, scoring freshman pinch-runner Amanda Ang (Santa Cruz, CA) from second to keep the Bulldogs within one run of the lead at 5-6.
Facing a one-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning, Farr led off the inning by earning a free pass. One pitch later, Farr showed off her wheels by stealing second and putting herself in scoring position with nobody out. Santos, who was 6-for-8 in the doubleheader, singled to the shortstop to score Farr and tie the game up at six apiece.
Now in extras, the teams battled through a scoreless eighth, before Oxy scored the eventual game-winning run in the top of the ninth.
With two outs, Santos, junior left-fielder Grace Rose (Villa Park, CA), and Carrasco each answered with a single to load the bases. However, the final out came on a fly-out to left field, leaving the Bulldogs just short of the comeback victory.
Sophomore reliever Courtney Ludlow (Petaluma, CA) picked up the loss after tossing five innings and giving up just two runs.
During the game, Santos notched a 4-for-5 performance with two doubles and an RBI. Carrasco had a perfect day at the dish, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three walks.
In the nightcap, the Bulldogs got off to a sluggish start once again, giving up three runs in the opening frame. Sophomore reliever Casey Maltz (Palo Alto, CA) entered into the game with two outs in the first inning and did a quality job of holding the Bulldogs steady by tossing 2.1 innings while only giving up one run on two hits.
Despite repeating their early-inning woes, the Bulldogs fought back to put up two runs in the bottom of the first stanza. Carrasco led off the contest with a triple down the right-field line, setting the tone for the rest of the inning. Junior third baseman Addie Oeleis (Temecula, CA) followed with her own three-bagger, scoring Carrasco. Lievanos followed with a sacrifice fly to centerfield, easily scoring Oeleis and trimming the deficit to 2-3.
After the Tigers grabbed a 4-2 advantage through four innings, the Bulldogs remained committed in their attack by plating a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings. King drove an RBI-single to left field in the bottom of fifth inning, while Vierra forced an outfield miscue on a fly ball to right field to push across the tying run.
After junior hurler Lauren Henson (Highland, CA) wiggled her way out of a second and third jam in the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs went to bat in the bottom of the inning with a vengeance.
Oeleis provided another clutch hit by barreling up a lead-off single to get the rally going. Two batters later, King stepped up by blasting a one-out double to left center, scoring Oeleis and winning the ballgame, 5-4.
"I was just trying to get the ball on the grass somehow so we could score that run," explained King after her game-winning knock.
Carrasco remained hot at the dish by going 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored. King finished with a 2-for-4 line with a double and two RBI. Oeleis and Santos each had two knocks as well.
Henson snagged the win after holding the Tigers scoreless and allowing only four hits.
The Bulldogs (13-15, 7-11 SCIAC) face off against Williams College (MA) on Sunday, March 28, for their third doubleheader in as many days. First pitch is set for 12 noon at the "Field of Dreams."
