The University of Redlands softball team split a home doubleheader against Cal Lutheran University in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action during Saturday's Senior Day. The Bulldogs put up two, four-run innings in the opening 10-7 win before falling short of the comeback in an 11-13 decision in extra innings.
The Maroon and Gray's bats came to play early on with three consecutive singles to begin game one. First-year designated player Tyesen Gordon (Lathrop, CA) pushed the first run across with a single through the left side before sophomore centerfielder Sam Rivas (Whittier, CA) uncorked a two-RBI double. Soon after, first-year first baseman Jessica Torosian (Thousand Oaks, CA) brought Rivas home on a single to right field to help the Bulldogs take a 4-0 lead.
The Bulldogs' defense also stepped up, as highlighted by a diving play from senior shortstop Jordyn Smith (Highland, CA) to tag third base for the second out in the top of the third frame. In the fourth, senior second baseman Julianne Rodriguez (Thousand Oaks, CA) also made a heads- up play with a precise effort to throw out a runner at home to keep the Regals off the board.
After Redlands stretched its lead to 5-0, the Regals chipped away at their deficit to make it a one-run game by the top of the fifth.
Nonetheless, in the bottom of the frame, Torosian answered with a bomb over the right-center fence on the first pitch of her at-bat to extend the Bulldogs' lead to 6-4.
But CLU refused to go away and rallied back to take a 7-6 advantage with a strong sixth-inning push.
Unfazed, the Maroon and Gray went back to work at the plate. Seniors Jennifer Ng (Pleasanton, CA) and Nova Siegel (Fairfield, CA) each registered RBI singles to make it 8-7. Rivas sealed the game with an important two-RBI single up the middle to cushion the lead to 10-7.
The Bulldogs escaped the seventh with two CLU runners left stranded for the game-one victory.
Rodriguez went 3-for-3 at the plate, while Ng, Siegel, Rivas, and Torosian each batted 3-for-4. Senior pitchers Lindsey Mifsud (Belmont, CA) and Mika Imoto (Vista, CA) combined efforts from the circle, with Mifsud earning the win and Imoto nabbing the save.
In game two, the Regals went on the attack early and secured an 8-3 advantage through two innings.
However, the Bulldogs began to mount their comeback, as sophomore designated player Desiree Moran (Bakersfield, CA) tripled to right field to plate Torosian. Junior left fielder Jaci Sanchez (Lakewood, CA) then singled to shortstop to push Moran home and close the gap, 5-8.
Despite the Regals tacking on three more runs in the top of the sixth, the Maroon and Gray stormed back with six runs to knot the game up at 11 apiece. Torosian and Gordon each blasted critical two-RBI doubles to gain ground on the Regals. Rodriguez followed with a single, which plated Gordon, while Siegel's single to right field pushed across the game-tying run to make it 11-all.
After both teams held each other scoreless in the seventh, the Regals plated two runs in the top of the eighth en route to their 13-11 win.
Siegel and Rodriguez each registered three hits in the effort, while Torosian posted two runs and two RBI.
Redlands (16-22, 10-16 SCIAC) hits the road for the final doubleheader of the regular season at Chapman University on Saturday, April 27, at 12 p.m.
