REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands softball team hosted the Bridgewater College Eagles for a doubleheader at "The Field of Dreams" Sunday. The Bulldogs won on a walk-off from Tyesen Gordon (Lathrop, CA) in their 4-3 game one victory. Then in game two the Maroon and Grey who have been dealing with a lack of pitching options got a strong start from Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, HI), but had their offense stall, while needing to use two position players to pitch for the first time in their college careers leading to a 14-1 loss. Redlands is now 7-4, 3-0 SCIAC.
Game 1 (W, 4-3)
The Bulldogs opened game one with Danielle Stallings (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) in the circle. She started the game with three scoreless innings and the Bulldogs utilized the strong start to score the game's first run, an RBI-groundout from Kershner, which scored Paige Messenlehner (Fresno, CA) in the third inning.
The Eagles were able to make a comeback thanks to a solo home run in the top of the fourth and a two-run shot in the top of the fifth to take a 3-1 lead. But that advantage didn't hold for long as Redlands got the two runs back in the bottom half of the fifth thanks to Collette Allen (Sierra Madre, CA) who singled to right field driving home Alexa Yarbro (Murrieta, CA) before Stallings helped herself with a game-tying sacrifice fly to right that scored Kershner.
With the score still tied at three in the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs got the winning run in the form of Allen. She reached with one out on a single and then advanced into scoring position after an error by the center fielder. Stallings moved her over with a single up the middle and Gordon walked it off with a grounder to the shortstop who was unable to beat out Allen going home.
Stallings threw another complete game, striking out three and allowing three runs over the seven innings. At the plate she was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a single. Allen (2-for-4 with the winning run and an RBI) and Messenlehner (1-for-2 with a double, a walk, and a run scored) were the only two Bulldogs that reached multiple times.
Game 2 (L, 14-1)
Offense was hard to come by in the second game with both teams unable to push a run across in the first five innings. In the sixth the Eagles got after Kershner for four runs on five hits, while capitalizing on an error as they went ahead. With the lack of depth in the circle for the Maroon and Grey, Head Coach Jose Ortega was forced to put in a pair of position players to throw.
Stallings missed some time with an injury last weekend before returning and the Bulldogs are without their number two pitcher Kassidy Long (Hemet, CA). This forced Aya Smith (Redlands, CA) into her first collegiate pitching appearance who had started in right field for the game despite being a catcher and infielder.
Smith would be able to finish off the sixth inning with one run (not charged to her) allowed on a sacrifice fly, a walk, and a groundout, which ended the threat. In the seventh she was only able to get one out and walked four before the Bulldogs went to another position player who would be making her first collegiate pitching appearance in Alexis Campos (Lake Forest, CA). After some struggles finding the zone, she was able to retire the side, but the Eagles had put up ten runs to push their lead to 14-0.
With the game out of reach Allen ended the shutout with a solo home run to right field for her second of the season that brought some excitement to the Bulldog faithful.
On the afternoon the Bulldogs managed only five hits but were able to hold the Eagles to eight hits despite their 14 runs as they allowed three unearned, while walking 13 Eagles, four of which were with the bases loaded and a fifth involved a throwing error that allowed an unearned run to score.
Kershner had a solid final line of five hits, four runs, two earned, three walks, and three strikeouts across 5.1 innings. With the loss she drops to 0-3 despite only allowing two earned runs in each of her three starts. At the plate Messenlehner (2-for-3) and Allen (1-for-3, a walk and a solo home run) again reached base multiple times with Gordon (1-for-2 with a walk) and Sierra Daley (Torrance, CA | 1-for-2 with a walk) joining them reaching twice.
The Bulldogs will get a chance to regroup this week as they return this weekend for a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) three-game series with Whittier College this Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5. The Bulldogs will be on the road on Friday at 2:00 p.m. and at home for a doubleheader Saturday with first pitches slated for 12:00pm and 2:00pm.