The University of Redlands softball team concluded the 2017 regular season with a tough doubleheader at the University of La Verne on Saturday.  After suffering a 0-8 shutout in the first, the Bulldogs rallied back in the seventh inning of the nightcap to force the eighth but came up short in a 4-5 heartbreaker.

In the first game, the two teams squared off in an impressive pitchers' duel that saw senior pitcher Casey Maltz (Palo Alto, CA) throw three scoreless frames to start the day. 

After La Verne put one run on the board, the tight contest continued. Redlands struggled to find its offensive rhythm, as senior third baseman Summer Smith (Redlands, CA) recorded the team's only hit, which came in the top of the fifth.

Unfortunately for the Maroon and Gray, the Leopards rallied for five hits and seven runs in the sixth that resulted in the win.

During the second contest, the tables were slightly turned on La Verne, as Redlands fired off four runs in the top of the seventh to tie it up.  After senior center fielder Amanda Ang (Santa Cruz, CA) doubled to lead off the inning, she moved to third on a Leopard error with junior shortstop Ursyla Baumgarten (Penngrove, CA) at the plate.  Junior second baseman Shannon Skrzynski (Pomona, CA) kept the offense going with a single to right field for the RBI.  With one out, freshman pitcher Nicole Stanzione (San Marcos, CA) uncorked her first collegiate dinger by blasting a three-run shot over the left-center fence to breathe new life into the Bulldogs.

However, the Leopards responded in the bottom of the eighth to push across the game-winning run.

Redlands finished out the season with a 14-26 overall record and a 10-18 mark in conference.