TUCSON, Ariz. – The University of Redlands Softball team split their two games on day two in Arizona with a 10-2 run-rule win in six innings over Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and then a close loss, 7-5, to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
Game 1 (Rochester Institute of Technology; W, 10-2 - 6-Innings)
After allowing two runs in the third inning, the Bulldogs scored ten unanswered runs en route to a run-rule victory. The scoring started for Redlands in the bottom half of the third with an RBI-single from Brooklyn Bard (Garden Grove, CA).
In the fourth the Bulldogs came back to take the lead thanks to a five spot. The first run was scored by Layla Mendoza (Salinas, CA) who came in from third on a wild pitch. Maddy Hughes (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) then hit a two-run double that scored Sarah Zuniga (La Verne, CA) and Adyson Kim (Millbrae, CA). The final run of the inning came courtesy of Paige Messenlehner (Easton, CA) who singled home Alexis Campos (Lake Forest, CA).
Bard added her second RBI of the game in the fifth as Mendoza scored for the second time in the game and made it 7-2 Bulldogs. The final run came on a Kim double that scored Madison Lourenco (Fontana, CA) after Mendoza brought in Avery Duran (Corona, Calif.) on a sacrifice fly and Messenlehner scored on an error on the play for the eighth and ninth runs of the game.
Brianna Garcia (Riverside, CA) picked up her third win on the season after going four innings as the starter. Ally Forbell (Salinas, CA) went two scoreless in relief.
Kim was 3-for-4 with Bard and Mendoza each adding two hits apiece.
Game 2 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; L, 7-5)
The Bulldogs put themselves behind the eight ball when they allowed a three-run home run in the first inning. To begin the second they started to chip away, getting an RBI-single from Kim as Bard came around to score to make it a 3-1 deficit.
Redlands and RPI traded runs before the Engineers scored a run in the third and fourth innings to extend their lead to four, 6-2. Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, HI) got the Bulldog back in it with a two-run double that scored Duran and Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA).
The Bulldogs made their life a bit tougher by allowing the Engineers to score a seventh run in the fifth, but they had an opportunity to tie or take the lead in the seventh inning as they loaded the bases.
The inning started with a walk, a popup, and a stolen base for Duran before Messenlehner singled home Duran to make it a two-run deficit. Bard followed with a single as she became the tying runner at first. A flyout put two outs on the board but Kim walked to load the bases, but unfortunately a flyout to center ended the threat.
Redlands had 12 hits and walked four times but they left nine runners on base as they leave Arizona 2-2. Their next contest will be a home doubleheader with North Central (Ill.) this Wednesday, March 15 with first pitch set for noon at the Field of Dreams.