CLAREMONT, Calif. – The University of Redlands Softball team (22-12, 12-6 SCIAC) won their three-game series with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) following a doubleheader split Saturday on the road, which included a 3-2 loss in Game 1 before coming back with a 4-1 win in Game 2. Redlands remains in the hunt for the SCIAC Regular Season Championship Title and the right to host the SCIAC Tournament.
Game 1 (L, 3-2)
The Bulldogs and Athenas were scoreless through three and a half innings until a CMS RBI-double in the fourth made it 1-0 putting the Bulldogs down with nine outs left.
Brooklyn Bard (Garden Grove, CA) came up with a massive hit in the sixth when she hit her second inside-the-park home run of the season, which tied the game up at one.
In the next inning Isabella Culp (Hanford, CA) singled to right as the leadoff hitter followed by Paige Messenlehner (Easton, CA) who sacrificed pinch runner Kayla Jackson (Bishop, CA) over to third as she used her speed to take an extra base. Thanks to that extra 60 feet, Avery Duran (Corona, CA) was able to step in putting the ball in the air allowing Jackson to score on a sacrifice fly. This put UR on top 2-1.
Things took a turn in the bottom of the seventh for the Bulldogs as the first two CMS batters reached coming on a hit-by-pitch and a single to center. Then on a sacrifice bunt attempt the Athenas tied the game on a throwing error. The very next batter bunted again and reached on a single as the Athenas would go on to score the walk-off run securing the Game 1 comeback win.
Bard reached base twice from her leadoff position, she was the lone Bulldog to reach safely multiple times as the offense managed only five hits and two walks. Brianna Garcia (Riverside, CA) started and went five innings with only one unearned run on four hits and a walk. Ally Forbell (Salinas, CA) pitched an inning plus and allowed two runs, but only one was earned.
Game 2 (W, 4-1)
In game two the Bulldogs stormed out in front quickly as Madison Lourenco (Fontana, CA) singled to left center driving in Messenlehner for an early 1-0 lead in the second. In the bottom half the Athenas tied the game up at one due to a throwing error, which was missed wide of third allowing the runner to take the extra base.
Kassidy Long (Hemet, CA) came up with the game-winning hit in the fourth when she had an infield single bringing in Messenlehner from third for her and the Bulldogs' second run.
Redlands picked up a pair of runs to seal the victory in the fifth as Messenlehner came up with the run-scoring hit to get the third run of the game on a single to shortstop that allowed Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA) to score. Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, HI) would follow Horton home after the Athena shortstop had an errant throw.
Starter Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) shut CMS' lineup down, holding them hitless in the final three innings to help the Bulldogs succeed in winning the series. Gandara finished with four hits and two walks allowed in seven innings with no earned runs allowed as her earned run average drops down to a 1.83.
The Bulldogs' offense was much better in game two, reaching base safely 10 times, but leaving seven runners on base, which kept the game within reach for CMS longer than it had to be.
Kershner had a productive game for Redlands' middle of the order as she had two hits. Messenlehner ended April strong as she reached all three times with two hits and a walk as she was a part of three of the four runs. She had been 7-for-28 in April prior to this final game of the month. Lourenco was ready to go with the start and drove in a run on two hits.
The Bulldogs end their regular season with a three-game series with Occidental College next week on Friday-Saturday, May 5-6. The Bulldogs will have their senior day on Saturday, May 6 with a doubleheader starting at noon.