Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – Following a quick 9-1 victory in game one of a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon, the Whittier College softball team couldn't grab the sweep as they would fall in game two 6-4 to Hamline University. 

The Poets remain hot as they move to 12-5, 7-1 SCIAC and remain in first place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings. 

Game 1 (Whittier – 9, Hamline – 1)

Whittier only needed five innings to earn the lopsided 9-1 victory in game one.  Led by Mercedez Cundiff (Rowland, Calif.) who finished 2-3 with two runs scored and three runs batted in, which included a two run shot in the first inning.

With two outs in the third, Whittier added another two.  Emi Shimamoto (Santa Clarita, Calif.) walked and was moved over to third by Samantha Mellano (Fullerton, Calif.) who doubled to left.  Senior Ashlyn Canchola (La Verne, Calif.) followed with a single to left that brought in one and freshman  Marialena Ahern (Fremont, Calif.) answered soon after with a single to the shortstop that brought in another.

Hamline managed to scrap for a run in the fourth to pull within three but that's as close as they would get as the Purple & Gold would plate another five runs in the fourth forcing the game to be called.

Mellano brought in the first two runs reaching on an error by the third baseman.  Cundiff brought in the third with a double to right center and Ahern would blast a three run shot two batters later over the scoreboard that moved the deficit to eight.

Samantha Blum (San Jose, Calif.) threw a complete game giving up one run on five hits improving to 7-2 on the season.

Ahern was 2-3 on the day with three runs batted in and Canchola was a perfect 2-2 with a run scored and an RBI. 

Game 2 (Hamline – 6, Whittier – 4)   

The Poets got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the first with a solo shot from Flores.  Hamline would then get after Rachel Alhanati (Lake Forest, Calif.) in the third bringing across two runs coming on a two out triple down the left field line.

Whittier got one back in the fourth with a solo shot from Ahern that evened the game at two but the very next inning the Pipers would plate four runs all coming on two outs, which included three consecutive doubles from Casey Anderson, Chelsea Koehn, and Jenna Dushaw.

Trailing 6-2, Whittier put together a rally in the bottom half of the inning bringing across two behind a single from Canchola and an Ahern triple to left, but that's as close as they would get despite getting the tying run on in the seventh. 

Alhanati was handed the loss going 5.0 innings giving up six runs on eight hits.  Ahern was 2-3 with a run scored and two RBI's and Canchola was 2-4 with a run scored. 

Whittier returns to the diamond this Saturday, March 21 as they host Cal Lutheran University with game times set for 12:00pm and 2:00pm.