The University of Redlands softball team traveled to Cal Lutheran University for its Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) opener. Redlands bat's got hot in the fourth and fifth innings to bust the game wide open, ultimately winning, 11-0, in a shortened game.
Senior pitcher Danielle Stallings (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) entered the circle for the Maroon and Gray and trusted her defense, going three up, three down, in the first and second inning with groundouts and popouts.
The offense backed their pitcher, putting up a two-spot in the top of the third. With two outs, junior shortstop Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA) knocked a single to right. First-year second baseman Collette Allen (Sierra Madre, CA) followed that up with a single all the way to the center-field fence that sent Horton to third. Allen subsequently stole second for two runners in scoring position. Senior left fielder Tsianina Flores (Corona, CA) then dinged a two-RBI double to right-center and a 2-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs distanced the spread even more in the fourth with five runs on six hits and one CLU error. After back-to-back singles, sophomore right fielder Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, CA) smacked a bases-clearing triple for two RBI. Kershner was sent home on the following sacrifice fly for a 5-0 score. Horton, Allen, and Flores continued to impress with three consecutive base hits to tack on two more for a 7-0 advantage.
Redlands kept pushing offensively in the fifth as well. Sophomore first baseman Madeline Gonzalez (Colton, CA) led the inning off with a double down the left-field line. Stallings traded places with her on a double to the exact same place for an RBI. Now with two outs and two runners on, Allen capped off her already impressive day with a three-run shot over the right-center fence and an 11-0 Bulldog lead.
Stallings sealed it from the circle in the bottom of the fifth securing three Regals outs by way of two groundouts and a strikeout. She only allowed three Regals hits and struck out two in the five innings.
Allen led the way with three hits including a home run and a double. Horton and Allen combined for six runs while Flores and Allen teamed up for seven RBI. Horton, Flores, Gonzalez, and Stallings each registered a multi-hit game, as well.
The Maroon and Gray (1-4) look forward to hosting the Regals on Saturday, April 10, for a SCIAC doubleheader at the Field of Dreams at 12 noon and 2:30 p.m.
