The University of Redlands softball team took on Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in Saturday's Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) doubleheader at the Field of Dreams, earning a second-game win by a score of 5-0, after suffering a late-game loss in the opener, 3-4.
Senior pitcher Lauren Henson (Highland, CA) pitched a gem in the night cap, scattering two hits and striking out one to earn the win. She got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, which seemed to inspire her offense to score in the subsequent half-inning.
With two outs, senior left-fielder Grace Rose (Villa Park, CA) singled down the left-field line, before stealing second base. After senior first baseman Vicki King (Thousand Oaks, CA) was walked, sophomore short stop Ursyla Baumgarten (Penngrove, CA) blasted an RBI-single, which allowed Rose to touch home. Another hard-hit single came off the bat of sophomore catcher Lali Garza (Granite Bay, CA) to plate King for the Bulldogs' 2-0 lead after the first inning.
Redlands put up another two-spot in the second stanza by taking advantage of a Sagehen miscue, before King launched a deep single to center field to score senior center-fielder AJ Carrasco (Whittier, CA), who had walked and advanced to second on sophomore third baseman Summer Smith's (Redlands, CA) sacrifice bunt.
Henson remained hot from the circle by retiring the side in every subsequent inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, King uncorked her second home run of the day to put the icing on the cake in the Maroon and Gray's 5-0 win. She finished the game with a 2-for-3 showing at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored.
During the first game, the Bulldogs gave up two runs in the top of the first inning but quickly responded with a three-spot in the bottom half. Rose crushed a single up the middle to plate Carrasco, before King went yard for a two-run blast.
Redlands' offense simmered down throughout the remainder of the game, earning just two more hits on the day.
Freshman pitcher Lindsey Mifsud (Belmont, CA) worked hard from the circle, throwing a complete game while scattering nine hits. Unfortunately, the Sagehens managed to string together three of those hits for two runs in the top of the seventh to steal the win.
During the bottom of the seventh, Carrasco made her way to second on a single and a stolen base but was left stranded as the potential tying run.
King was 1-for-3 with the two-run knock, while Carrasco registered the only multi-hit showing with her 2-for-2 performance at the plate.
The Bulldogs (15-9, 7-7 SCIAC) continue their busy schedule on Monday, March 28, with a 2 p.m. non-conference doubleheader against Westminster College (MO) at the Field of Dreams.
