REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Softball team went 3-1 at the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament this past weekend and earned the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III National Championships. The selection committee on Monday announced they would travel to Oregon to face No. 4 Linfield University in a two-team regional where the two programs will play a best-of-five series starting this Thursday, May 18 at 4:00 p.m. Games two and three are Friday, May 19 (2:00pm & 4:30pm) and if necessary games four and five would be Saturday, May 20 (1:00pm & 3:30pm).

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Tickets

All games will be paid entry as it is an NCAA event. The above link will be the best option in order to purchase tickets.  

Ticket prices:

Adult General Admission: $10 per day or $30 for NCAA Tournament pass

Senior Citizens: $8 per day or $20 for NCAA Tournament pass

Students with ID: $7 per day or $15 for NCAA Tournament pass

Head-to-Head

The Bulldogs and Wildcats have faced off 36 times with Linfield posting a 26-10 record.  Over the last ten meetings, since May 2013, the Bulldogs are 4-6. In the most recent games earlier this season at The Field of Dreams, the Bulldogs split the doubleheader with a 1-0 loss coming in eight innings (Box Score), followed by a win in game two 4-3 (Box Score | Recap). Out of the 36 games, only two have been played in McMinnville with each team winning once.

Redlands

The Bulldogs are coming off a 3-1 weekend at the SCIAC Tournament where they beat Chapman University (10-4 & 2-1) and Pomona-Pitzer (5-0) to secure the AQ Bid. In those four games Kassidy Long (Hemet, CA) led all qualified Bulldogs with a .500 batting average (6-for-12), while driving in a team-high three runs. Brooklyn Bard (Garden Grove, CA) hit .467 (7-for-15) with two stolen bases, Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA) hit .412 (7-for-17) with two steals, Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, HI) hit .385 (5-for-13) with two of the five doubles, and Alexis Campos (Lake Forest, CA) hit .357 (5-for-14) with a team-high four runs scored.

In the circle reigning SCIAC Pitcher of the Year and 1st Team All-SCIAC performer Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) threw all 30 innings over the three-days allowing only two earned runs for a 0.47 earned run average (ERA). She also held batters to a .191 average.  Joining Gandara on the All-SCIAC teams was Campos (1B), Horton (SS), Kershner (UTL), and Isabella Culp (Hanford, CA) (C) who were also named to the 2nd Team.   

For the second time in three years the Bulldogs have qualified for the NCAA Tournament under Head Coach Jose Ortega.  This season they were crowned the 2023 Regular Season Co-Champions, which they have now secured for the third straight year along with being crowned the 2023 SCIAC Tournament Champions.  Redlands improves to 27-14, 14-7 SCIAC with the 27 wins being the most under Coach Ortega in his tenure and the most in a single season since 2014 when the team went 31-15 under then Head Coach Dani Spaulding.  That same year the team won the SCIAC Regular Season Title, were SCIAC Tournament Finalists and were Regional Finalists in the NCAA Tournament. 

Team Stats Rankings

 Individual Stats Rankings

*Stats for games through May 13

No. 4 Linfield

Linfield enters the NCAA playoffs for the 18^th time in the last 19 seasons after completing its fifth 40-win season and first since 2012. The Wildcats own a 75-36 postseason record with nine regional championships, one super regional title and two NCAA Division III national championships in 2007 and 2011. 
 
The Wildcats claimed the program's 18^th Northwest Conference regular-season championship. Linfield's 27-1 NWC record matched the best mark in school history. The 'Cats went 4-1 in the NWC Tournament, capping the weekend with two wins over cross-county rival George Fox on Championship Sunday.
 
Fourth-ranked Linfield is captained by Jackson Vaughan, who was named the NWC Coach of the Year for the 13^th time in his 22-year head coaching career. Nine players landed on the All-NWC Team, including five on the First Team. Katie Phillips and Tayah Kelley repeated as the NWC Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively. Phillips' 59 RBI rank third in Division III while teammate Claire Seats is right behind with 58. Kelley's 28 wins in the circle lead the nation while her 218 strikeouts are seventh. Kaili Saathoff is batting .450 with 68 hits and 60 runs scored.

Team Stats Rankings

 Individual Stats Rankings

*Stats for games through May 13

The winner of this best-of-five regional will play the winner on the other side of the regional hosted by Central College (IA) that also includes Grinnell College, Bethel University (MN), and the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. The Bulldogs beat UW La Crosse 8-0 (Box Score | Recap) this season and lost to Central (IA) 14-3 (Box Score | Recap) in Arizona back in March.