REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Softball team is gearing up to host the 2022 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament this weekend, May 6-8 after winning the SCIAC Regular Season Championship Title and with it, the No. 1 seed.
The tournament will be played to its entirety at the "Field of Dreams" on the campus of the University of Redlands and will be a double-elimination format. A doubleheader will kick-off the tournament tomorrow, Friday, May 6 with the Bulldogs opening up against No. 4 Pomona-Pitzer at 1:30pm, followed by No. 2 Chapman University and No. 3 University of La Verne at 4:00pm.
Championship Central | Tournament Program | Live Stream | Tickets | Directions
Tournament Win-Loss Records
|
Teams |
Years |
Wins |
Losses |
Titles |
Runner-Up |
|
Redlands |
9 |
21 |
12 |
3 |
5 |
|
Chapman |
5 |
2 |
10 |
0 |
1 |
|
La Verne |
10 |
17 |
15 |
3 |
2 |
|
Pomona-Pitzer |
4 |
4 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
SCIAC Tournament Schedule
Friday
Game 1: No. 1 Redlands vs. No. 4 Pomona-Pitzer – 1:30 PM
Game 2: No. 2 Chapman vs. No. 3 La Verne – 4:00 PM
Saturday
Game 3: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 – 11:00 AM
Game 4: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 – 1:30 PM
Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 – 4:00 PM
Sunday
Game 6: Championship Game – Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 – 11:00 AM
Game 7 (If necessary): 30 minutes following Game 6
The Field
No. 1 University of Redlands
The Bulldogs finished the regular season 22-12 overall and 15-6 in SCIAC play. As the tournament hosts, the Bulldogs will play all of their games at the "Field of Dreams" where they went 14-10 this season. For their success, the Bulldogs coaching staff, led by Head Coach Jose Ortega and assisted by Chelsea Rex, Stephanie Tickemyer, and Andrew Aguilera, were named the SCIAC Coaching Staff of the Year for the second straight year.
The Maroon and Grey are the reigning postseason tournament champions from 2021. Overall, they have three tournament titles (2009, 2011, 2021) with five runner-up finishes (2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014).
Redlands went 8-1 against the three teams in the field with their lone loss coming at Chapman in game one of their doubleheader (Apr. 2) 16-3 in 5 innings.
- Win at Pomona-Pitzer, 8-3 – Feb. 18
- Win vs. Pomona-Pitzer, 7-4 – Feb. 19
- Win vs. Pomona-Pitzer, 10-1 (5 inn.) – Feb. 19
- Win vs. Chapman, 3-1 – Apr. 1
- Loss at Chapman, 16-3 (5 inn.) – Apr. 2
- Win at Chapman, 3-2 – Apr. 2
- Win at La Verne, 10-0 (5 inn.) – Apr. 15
- Win vs. La Verne, 6-1 – Apr. 16
- Win vs. La Verne, 5-4 (9 inn.) – Apr. 16
The Bulldogs are led offensively by now two-time SCIAC Athlete of the Year (AOTY), Collette Allen (Sierra Madre, Calif.), who is second in hitting (.450) with the current seventh highest single-season average in program history, first in on-base percentage (.527) with the eighth highest in a single season, first in slugging percentage (.890) with the second highest in a single season, and first in home runs (12) with the second most home runs in a single season. Allen has now won AOTY both of her years in college, while also being selected to the All-SCIAC First Team for the second time.
In the circle the Bulldogs had to rotate pitchers throughout the season due to injuries, but the they have used 2021 SCIAC Pitcher of the Year, Danielle Stallings (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), as their number one. Stallings is second in the SCIAC in appearances (22), second in wins (13), third in complete games (12), third in innings pitched (114.2), and sixth in ERA (3.24). She is also a key offensively for the Bulldogs, hitting .259, with seven doubles and 18 RBIs. Stallings was also named to the 2022 All-SCIAC Second Team.
Joining Allen and Stallings on the All-SCIAC teams this year was Tyesen Gordon (Lathrop, Calif.), who was named to the All-SCIAC First Team at first base. Gordon has the fourth highest average (.432), third in on-base percentage (.488), second in slugging (.757), fourth in hist (48), second in doubles (13), second in triples (4), fifth in home runs (5), and fourth in RBIs (27).
The fourth All-SCIAC team member for Redlands is junior Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, Hawaii) who was selected to the 2nd Team for the first time in her career. Kershner is a key utility player who plays center field and pitches. In the circle she made 17 appearances (10th most in SCIAC), started the 13th most games (12), 11th in wins (7), 10th in complete games (7), and 13th in innings pitched (77). As a hitter she is 26th in hitting (.318), 16th in slugging percentage (.505), fourth in doubles (12), and seventh in RBIs (26).
The fifth and final Bulldog who was named All-SCIAC is 2nd Team selection and first-year utility player Paige Messenlehner (Fresno, Calif.), who has been productive in the starting lineup sitting 20th in hitting (.340), 16th in on-base percentage (.411), and 28th in slugging (.447).
No. 2 Chapman University
The Panthers were the lone team in this field to beat the Bulldogs this season. Despite the loss Redlands won the season series 2-1, but Chapman did outscore Redlands 19-9 with both Bulldog wins coming by a combined three runs. They were also the team the Bulldogs beat to win the 2021 Regular Season Championship Title.
The Panthers finished their season 25-11 overall and 13-8 inside SCIAC play and are making their sixth appearance in the tournament. As a road team this year the Panthers have had success with a 9-4 record.
Against the rest of the field, they are 5-4.
L at Redlands, 3-1 (April 1)
W vs. Redlands, 16-3 (5 inn.) (April 2)
L vs. Redlands, 3-2 (April 2)
L vs. Pomona-Pitzer, 11-1 (April 8)
W at Pomona-Pitzer, 2-1 (April 9)
W at Pomona-Pitzer, 3-0 (April 9)
W at La Verne, 5-2 (April 29)
L vs. La Verne, 6-3 (April 30)
W vs. La Verne, 4-1 (April 30)
Chapman is led offensively by four different key hitters, but the most dangerous of them from a power perspective is Julia Muniz who is 17th in the SCIAC in batting average (.345), 31st in on-base percentage (31st), ninth in slugging percentage (.555), 10th in doubles (8), fifth in triples (3), 11th in home runs (3), 10th in RBIs (25), and 12th in total bases (61).
In the circle the Panthers top pitcher is Jillian Kelly who was named the 2022 SCIAC Pitcher of the Year and All-SCIAC First Team. Kelly is second in appearances (22), first in wins (14), first in saves (2), second in complete games (17), first in shutouts (5), second in innings pitched (126), first in strikeouts (135), second in opponents' batting average (.187), and first in ERA (1.61).
Chapman had three players named to the All-SCIAC Second Team: Annika Briski, Samantha Kennedy, and Ilianna Serna. Briski and Serne hit .400 and .421 respectively, which put them fifth and sixth in hitting. Kennedy is seventh in stolen bases (11).
No. 3 University of La Verne
The Leopards are the No. 3 seed in the tournament after going 26-14 overall and 13-8 in SCIAC. The Bulldogs were 3-0 against them this season and won the three games by a combined 16 runs, though the third game of the series was a one-run victory in nine innings. La Verne is another team that has excelled on the road with a 10-4 record and are coming in winning four of their final six games. They are also three-time tournament champions (2008, 2010, 2017) and came in second twice (2016, 2018).
Against the rest of the field, they are 2-4.
W at Pomona-Pitzer, 8-4 (Feb. 25)
L vs. Pomona-Pitzer, 9-4 (Feb. 26)
W vs. Pomona-Pitzer, 10-5 (Feb. 26)
L vs. Redlands, 10-0 (5 inn.) (April 15)
L at Redlands, 6-1 (April 16)
L at Redlands, 5-4 (9 inn.) (April 16)
L vs. Chapman, 5-2 (April 29)
W at. Chapman, 6-3 (April 30)
L at Chapman, 4-1 (April 30)
La Verne has a well balance lineup, but their top hitter across the board is Natalia Aguilera who was named to the All-SCIAC First Team as a catcher. She is ninth in batting average in the SCIAC (.394), 14th in on-base percentage (.418), sixth in slugging (.625), second in doubles (13), 11th in home runs (3), fourth in RBIs (27), and sixth in total bases (65).
In the circle the Leopards workhorse is Rachel Rubio who was named to the All-SCIAC First Team, and their most efficient is Katheryn Navarro, a new member of the All-SCIAC Second Team, who has a team-high and second most home runs (7) in SCIAC and a team-best and second best in the SCIAC ERA (2.16). Their number one, though, is Rubio, who is first in appearance (23), first in starts (21), second in wins (13), first in complete games (18), second in shutouts (3), first in innings pitched (144.1), second in strikeouts (79), fifth in ERA (2.86), but she has allowed the third most doubles (26), fourth most home runs (11), 13th in opponents' batting average (.278), though, she has avoided self-inflicted mistakes with the fewest wild pitches (1) and sixth fewest hit batters (2).
As a team the Leopards had four players named to the ALL-SCIAC First Team and one to the second team. Rubio, Aguilera, Taylor Gray, and Haylee Hsieh were named to the first team and Katheryn Navarro was on the second team. Gray is hitting has slash line of .324/.382/.405 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage). Hsieh led the conference with 33 steals, only struck out seven times in 123 at bats, finished with a .366/.451/.439 slash line which she ranked 12th/6th/29th.
No. 4 Pomona-Pitzer
The Sagehens used a run of six wins in seven games to end the season as they went 20-20 overall and 12-9 in SCIAC play. They struggled to a 10-12 home mark, which included a pair of losses to Redlands, but they were 8-4 on the road. The Bulldogs swept them early in the season posting a plus 17 run differential. The Sagehens are making their fourth appearance in the tournament and were runners-up in 2019.
Against the rest of the field, they are 2-7.
L vs. Redlands, 8-3 (Feb. 18)
L at Redlands, 7-4 (Feb. 19)
L at Redlands, 10-1 (5 inn.) (Feb. 19)
L vs. La Verne, 8-4 (Feb. 25)
W at La Verne, 9-4 (Feb. 26)
L at La Verne, 10-5 (Feb. 26)
W at Chapman, 11-1 (April 8)
L vs. Chapman, 2-1 (April 9)
L vs. Chapman, 3-0 (April 9)
Pomona-Pitzer has heavily relied on SCIAC Newcomer of the Year, Devin Waddell, who is the SCIAC batting leader (.462), second in on-base percentage (.517), third in slugging (.727), fifth in runs scored (31), first in hits (61), first in doubles (15), fourth in home runs (6), third in RBIs (28), and second in total bases (96). She is another player who has played on both sides as she has the fifth most wins (8), 14th in innings pitched (75.1), and 12th in ERA (3.62).
The other pitcher to watch when Waddell is not in the circle is Erika Rivera. Rivera is fifth in appearances (21), ninth in starts (14), 12th in wins (5), 15th in innings pitched (72), seventh in strikeouts (56), and 11th in ERA (3.60).
The Sagehens got three players on the All-SCIAC First Team, three on the All-SCIAC Second Team. Waddell, Hannah Brajkovich, and Lauren Ziment were on the first team and Deijah Bradley, Katy Hurley, and Megan Otsuka were second teamers.
Brajkovich is a power hitter who is second in home runs (7), 14th in slugging (.523), 10th in RBIs (25), eighth in walks (12), and third in hit-by-pitches (7). Ziment was the 13th best hitter (.360), eighth in on-base percentage (.444), ninth in doubles (9), 12th in runs scored (24), 13th in walks (10), and laid down the fifth most sacrifice hits (8).
Bradley had a .305/.369/.441 slash line with 11 RBIs across 59 at bats. Hurley's slash line is .312/.347/.462, 18th in RBIs (21), 10th in doubes (8), and only struck out five times. Otsuka is 16th in hitting (.352), 20th in on-base percentage (.402), 13th in RBIs (23), 16th in doubles (7), had eighth most sacrifice hits (6) ,and is fifth in stolen bases (14).