REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands softball team faced rain and chilly temperatures Saturday in a doubleheader with Whittier College within Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play.

After taking Game 1 of the three-game series the Bulldogs faced a tough test with a lack of pitching depth and injuries dropping both games in a twin bill to the Poets 20-10 and 6-2.  With the two losses Redlands drops to 8-6, 4-2 SCIAC and see Chapman University jump them for the top spot within the conference standings.         

Game 1 (L, 20-10)

Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, HI) got the start in Game 1 and lasted just an inning giving up four runs on four hits as WC jumped in front early.  This forced Head Coach Jose Ortega to go to his bench bringing in Alexis Campos (Lake Forest, CA) who went the next 5.1 Innings giving up 15 runs (13 Earned) on 12 hits, while walking four that allowed Whittier to open the game up.

Trailing 8-0 in the 3^rd, the Bulldogs put together a rally with a five spot forcing the Poet starter Katelyn Calvetti out of the game.  Kershner started the frame off with a single and moved up to second on an error by the left fielder.  Kayla Rivas (Whittier, CA) then walked and was followed by a pinch-hit single from Aya Smith (Redlands, CA) through the left side that loaded the bases.  This brought the top of the order up in Collette Allen (Sierra Madre, CA) who singled through the right side scoring one, Tyesen Gordon (Lathrop, CA) driving one up the middle bringing in another and Danielle Stallings (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) ripping one into center that plated another two.  After a wild pitch brought in the fifth run, UR found themselves down only three at 8-5.

Both teams brought in two in the 4^th as Whittier used a passed ball and a throwing error to increase their lead.  Sierra Daley (Torrance, CA) scored the two in the bottom half coming on a single to right that scored Paige Messenlehner (Fresno, CA) and Allen, moving it back to a three-run differential.  The big move came in the 5^th by the Purple & Gold who brought in another four runs highlighted by a three-run shot by Emily Adkison to left opening the game up.  In the 6^th Redlands got three runs back after stringing together four hits.  Messenlehner and Gordon went back-to-back with base hits and Daley walked loading the bases.  Stallings then drove one through the left side bringing in one and Kershner came up two batters later driving a double to left center that made it double digits for UR. 

The five-run differential though was the closest the Bulldogs would get as WC would put up another five runs in the 7^th that put the game away.  Kershner was tagged with the loss giving up those four runs on four hits.  She moves to 0-4 on the season.  Allen and Gordon both finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, Kershner was 2-for-3 scoring once and driving in another two, and Stallings was 2-for-4 with three RBI's. 

Game 2 (L, 6-2)

Stallings got the nod in Game 2 of the doubleheader but faced the brunt of the tough conditions having to pitch in the downpour throughout.  Whittier got the scoring started with a pair of solo homeruns from Yolanda Oregel and Sara Chiala across the first two innings, but gave that lead back in the 3^rd and 4^th as UR mounted a comeback.  Allen plated the first run with a deep bomb down the left field line and Rivas reached on a fielder's choice the very next inning bringing across the game-tying run. 

But in the 5^th Whittier would go back on top with another two runs thanks to Lindsey Perry who drove one to left.  Then in the 6^th, Adkison went yard again for the second time on the day as she extended the Poet lead to 6-2.  The game then went into a rain delay as both teams hoped for a break in the weather, but it didn't come as the game was called allowing Whittier to come away with the sweep.

Stallings picked up the loss after going 5.1 Innings giving up six runs on 10 hits, while striking out six.  She drops to 6-2.  Campos had a multi-hit game going 2-for-2 scoring once, Allen was 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, and Messenlehner, Gordon, and Daley all would go 3-for-9 collectively.             

Redlands sees their next three series cancelled with Carnegie Mellon, Rochester, and WPI due to safety concerns for the players.  They return to the diamond for a SCIAC series with Claremont-M-S on Friday-Saturday, March 18-19.  They travel to take on the Athenas on Friday, March 18 before hosting CMS for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 19.