Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College softball team saw their 2013 regular season come to a close Saturday afternoon as they split with the Regals of Cal Lutheran University on senior day winning 2-1 before falling 9-3.
Whittier finishes the season 24-14, 14-14 SCIAC and snap their six season streak of making the SCIAC Post Season Tournament.
They finish the season splitting with Cal Lutheran 2-2. Prior to the game head coach Shelley Whitaker and the rest of the softball program recognized their five seniors who were playing in their final game of their collegiate career. These seniors included Sara Gazzaniga, Leslie Kuhen, Cindy Loza, Jessica Rosnack, and Courtney Grana.
Game 1 (W, 2-1)
Whittier got on the scoreboard first with a run in the bottom half of the first thanks to a single up the middle by Samantha Mellano. Cal Lutheran tied the game up the ensuing inning after a sacrifice fly by Lockwood but the Purple & Gold
Cal Lutheran had a scoring chance in the third inning when Brittany Labbe singled to lead off the inning and later Shonna Christianson doubled to put runners at second and third. But Whittier starting pitcher Rosnack was able to buckle down and get a foul-out for the final out of the inning, stranding the two runners.
Whittier got the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth after Alexandra Flores led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole third and then came home on a sacrifice fly from Mellano.
The Regals threatened in the last inning when they loaded the bases with no outs. Undeterred, Rosnack got three straight strikeouts to end the rally and secure the one run victory for the Poets.
Rosnack tossed a complete game picking up her ninth win of the season after giving up a run on eight hits, while striking out six.
Mellano finished 2-2 with both runs batted in for the Poets.
Game 2 (L, 9-3)
Cal Lutheran used a six spot in the top half of the 3rd before cruising to the 9-3 victory in game two of the doubleheader sparked by a two run blast by Lockwood. WC would get three runs back however in the bottom half of the inning with singles by Flores and Mellano but that's the last offense put together by the Poets as cal Lutheran would add another three in the top half of the 6th behind a three run blast by Lewis that propelled the Regals to the six run victory.
Courtney DeLano earned her sixth loss of the season in game two after getting touched up for nine runs on 10 hits in 6.0 innings of work. She now drops to 12-6 on the season.
Mellano once again led the offense for the Poets finishing with three hits.
Whittier (24-14, 14-14 SCIAC) concludes its season with 14 SCIAC victories but missed the SCIAC Post Season Tournament after earning a spot in it for the past six seasons. Redlands edged Claremont-Mudd-Scripps by one game to earn the regular season conference championship. Chapman finished third and La Verne came in fourth.
