Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

TYLER, TX – The Whittier College softball team proved a tough test for the No. 2 ranked Patriots of UT Texas-Tyler Friday evening but suffered a bad inning that proved costly as they fell 9-2 during the first day of the NCAA Division III West Regional.

To watch the Post Game Interview with Head Coach Dee Dee Kingsbury and Sophomore ace Samantha Blum (San Jose, Calif.), click here. 

Whittier wasted little time jumping out in front putting up two runs in the top half of the third.  Ashlyn Canchola (La Verne, Calif.) led things off with a hit to left. Alexandra Flores (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.) reached on an error by the third baseman and Emi Shimamoto (Santa Clarita, Calif.) singled to left that brought in the first Poet run.

Samantha Mellano (Fullerton, Calif.) then reached on a fielder's choice in the very next bat with Flores being forced out at home but senior third baseman Mercedez Cundiff (Rowland, Calif.) would continue swinging a hot bat connecting for a double to left that brought in the second run.

Leading 2-0, the Poets looked like they would put together another big inning in the fourth getting Alyse Gutierrez (West Covina, Calif.) and Blum on first and second with back to back singles but they would be left stranded as Alaina Kissinger would come in relief for UT to shut down the ensuing three batters.

This would be the last time the Purple & Gold would get a runner in scoring position as Kissinger would throw the final three innings improving to 16-0 with two strikeouts.  Texas-Tyler erupted for seven runs on six hits and two Poet errors in the bottom half of the fourth that put them in front for good as they held on for the 9-2 victory. 

Shimamoto finished 1-3 with a run scored and a run batted in.  Cundiff was 1-4 with an RBI and Flores was 1-3 with a walk. 

Blum suffered the loss dropping to 23-7 lasting just 3.1 innings giving up four earned runs on 11 hits.