REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Softball team (21-11, 10-6 SCIAC) hosted Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, the first-place team in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Friday afternoon at the Field of Dreams as they picked up a crucial 6-2 win moving them into a tie for first with the Athenas.
Leadoff hitter Brooklyn Bard (Garden Grove, CA) reached base to open the game thanks to a walk. With Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA) at the plate Bard took second on a wild pitch and then stole third. The ensuing throw by the catcher down the line would hit off the glove of the third baseman allowing Bard to come in and score putting UR on top 1-0.
Just like the first inning the Bulldogs picked up a leadoff walk in the second as Paige Messenlehner (Easton, CA) took first base before stealing second. Kassidy Long (Hemet, CA) then took advantage of the runner in scoring position as she doubled into the left centerfield gap to make it 2-0.
For the third consecutive inning Redlands would score the first run of the frame, which would be the eventual game-winning run, coming from Alexis Campos (Lake Forest, CA). She would lead things off with a walk, advanced to second on Kalyn Kershner's (Ewa Beach, HI) single, and then stole third before coming in on a throwing error by the catcher. This was the second run of the game that came in on a throw down to third.
Isabella Culp (Hanford, CA) added another run in the third on an RBI-single to left as Kershner scored to make it 4-0.
Both pitchers held each offense scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings before the Athenas got a run back in the top half of the sixth on an RBI-double. Redlands, though, responded in the bottom half with a pair of runs as Bard singled home Avery Duran (Corona, CA) followed by a base knock from Horton into right bringing home Bard.
CMS got a consolation run in the seventh after an error allowed a run to score as starter Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) picked up her 11th win of the season lowering her earned run average to a 1.94.
Long had a pair of hits from her eight-hole spot while Bard, Horton, and Campos all reached base safely twice. Bard, Campos, Kershner, and Messenlehner all stole a base as well.
Gandara threw seven innings with one earned run allowed, her sixth start with one or fewer earned runs.
The Bulldogs and Athenas play a series-deciding doubleheader, Saturday, April 29 in Claremont, CA with first pitch set for 11:00am.