The University of Redlands softball team continued its Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) journey with a split showing against Cal Lutheran University on Saturday in Thousand Oaks.  After struggling through the 0-8 loss in the opener, the Bulldogs bounced back in a big way by dominating the Regals in a 12-1 second-game win.

During the first contest, the Maroon and Gray battled through an out-of-synch performance that resulted in only four hits, with senior left-fielder Grace Rose (Villa Park, CA) accounting for two. 

Freshman pitcher Lindsey Mifsud (Belmont, CA) picked up the loss as the starter after 3.1 innings of work.  Freshman Jessica Doss (San Mateo, CA) finished out the contest by scattering three hits and allowing just one earned run.

However, Head Coach Dani Spaulding's post-game talk inspired a significant turnaround in game two, as Redlands fired off 13 hits for 12 runs in the impressive victory.

With runners on second and third in the top of the first inning, senior second baseman Vicki King (Thousand Oaks, CA) blasted off a sacrifice fly to score senior center-fielder AJ Carrasco (Whittier, CA) for the Bulldogs' first run of the day.

Freshman designated player Hayley Romo (Port Orchard, WA) stepped up in the second stanza by singling through the left side, which allowed sophomore third baseman Summer Smith (Redlands, CA) to touch home after reaching base on an error.

Redlands took advantage of another CLU miscue when junior right-fielder Amanda Ang (Santa Cruz, CA) put the ball in play to force a fielding error, which sent Romo home for the Maroon and Gray's 3-0 lead.

The Bulldogs' bats came alive again in the top of the sixth, as sophomore first baseman Lali Garza (Granite Bay, CA) uncorked an RBI-single before Carrasco blasted a three-run knock.

Although the Regals pulled one back in the subsequent half-inning, Redlands answered with an impressive five-hit, five-run display in the top of the seventh. Junior pinch-hitter Casey Maltz (Palo Alto, CA), Carrasco, Ang, and King recorded RBI for the Maroon and Gray.

Senior pitcher Lauren Henson (Highland, CA) registered the win with her complete-game effort.  While scattering nine hits in the contest, she relied on her flawless defense to take care of eight ground balls and nine fly-outs in 31 batters faced.

Rose finished the night cap with a 3-for-4 showing at the plate, while Carrasco went 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored.  Romo was also 2-for-3 but scored three times.

The Bulldogs (19-11, 9-9 SCIAC) return home to the Field of Dreams on Saturday, April 9, for a 12 noon doubleheader against Chapman University during Strikeout 4 Cancer Day.