Whittier College softball snapped a four-game SCIAC losing
streak by winning three out of four against the University of La
Verne and Occidental College on March 29 and 30. The Poets
improve their record to 14-12 overall and 6-8 in conference
play.
Game one versus La Verne at Palmer Softball Stadium was an 8-6 loss
for the Poets. Sheryl Fukuda '08 and Kellie Canida '11 each
went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Canida also scored a pair of
runs. Nikole Gandara '09 hit a three-run homer and Jen Luders
'11 also drove in a run. Vicky Ovieda '09 pitched a complete
game, allowing five earned runs on nine hits in the loss.
The Poets needed ten innings to get the 2-1 game two win. It
was a pitcher's duel, as the teams combined for just three
runs. Nikole Gandara went six strong innings for the Poets,
allowing one run on seven hits and four strike outs. Heather
Dady '11 came in to pitch four hitless innings of relief to secure
the win. Amanda Brown '09 drove in the game-winning run in
the bottom of the tenth. Amanda Carrasco '10 went 3-for-4 in
the game. Ovieda was 2-for-3 with a double.
The next day against Occidental brought another extra inning win
for the Poets. Game one was decided in the eighth, when the
Poets scored in the top half of the inning to make the score
12-11. Molly Yriate '11 was on fire at the dish, going
3-for-5 with two home runs, six RBI and two runs scored.
Ovieda was 3-for-5 as well with two doubles, two RBI and two runs
scored. Dady, Carrasco and Brown each drove in a run.
Fukuda walked three times and scored three runs. Ovieda was
credited with the win after pitching 6.1 innings. Dady came
in to pitch the final 1.2 innings and allowed one Tiger run.
Game two against Occidental was under Poet control from the
start. After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning,
Whittier tacked on five more in the fourth. Oxy cut the lead
to one in the bottom of the fourth, but the Poets responded with
seven runs in the seventh and eighth innings and finished with a
14-8 victory. Carrasco led the team with four RBI on 3-for-4
hitting including a home run and a double. Dyan Acevedo '09
led the team with four hits, two of which were doubles, and an
RBI. Ovieda was 3-for-5 with three RBI and four runs
scored. Yriate finished with two hits, an RBi and two runs
scored. Laura Duarte '10 and Nicole Acevedo '09 each drove in
a run.
Gandara pitched all seven innings and allowed seven earned runs on
seven hits and four strike outs to earn the win.
The Poets look to move up the SCIAC ladder, where they currently
sit in fifth place, as they face off with Occidental twice more,
this time at home on April 11. The doubleheader is scheduled
to start at 2:00pm.
