Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College softball team hosted the University of Redlands Saturday afternoon and came away with a split at Palmer Field earning a lopsided 11-6 decision in game one before falling 9-7 in a tight game two.

The Purple & Gold move back to .500 on the season at 6-6, 1-3 SCIAC, while Redlands improves to 6-2, 3-1 SCIAC.

Game 1 (W, 11-6)

The Bulldogs came into the weekend in first place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings, but the defending SCIAC Champions would give them a test.

After surrendering a run in the top half of the first, Whittier put together a hitting clinic in the bottom half of the inning putting up a 10 spot all coming with two outs.

Kacey Whitney (Cypress, Calif.) walked to get things started and was followed with Kaitlyn Garza (Chino, Calif.) getting hit by a pitch and Marialena Ahern (Fremont, Calif.) singling to left that loaded the bases.

Natalia Sanchez (Chino Hills, Calif.) walked that brought in one that tied the game right before the flood gates opened.  Soon after, Megan Troutman (Covina, Calif.) would reach on an error, Samantha Blum (San Jose, Calif.) walked, Madison Crimi-Demichele (San Jose, Calif.) singled up the middle, Whitney singled to center, and Ahern capped off the scoring with a three run blast to center that put WC in front 10-1.

Ahern came back in the fourth with her second homerun to center field that added insurance and despite Redlands putting up five runs over the final two innings, it wouldn't be enough to catch the Purple & Gold.

Blum earned the win as she moves to 4-3 going 6.1 innings giving up one earned run on six hits with five strikeouts. 

Ahern was 3-4 with three runs scored and four RBI's, Whitney was 1-2 with two runs scored and two runs batted in and Crimi-Demichele finished 1-3 with a run scored and two RBI's.        

Game 2 (L, 9-7)

Rachel Alhanati (Lake Forest, Calif.) got the start in game two but only lasted two innings picking up the loss.  She gave up six runs on eight hits seeing Redlands jump out in front 6-2.

Whittier's two runs came in the first and second innings.  Megan Heal (San Jose, Calif.) doubled to right center that plated Whitney who then came back to single in Ally Fonseca (Pico Rivera, Calif.).

Two more runs came across in the third with Troutman blasting her first homerun of the season to deep left that brought in Heal after her single up the middle. 

UR got one back the very next inning on a sacrifice fly but Whittier would rally putting up three runs in the fifth and sixth that kept the game close.  Fonseca singled up the middle that scored Troutman who doubled to left center earlier and Sanchez would come back to connect with her first homerun of her career driving one to left.

The deficit remained one at 8-7 heading into the seventh.  Dani Santos would extend the lead to two with a solo shot to left but Whittier would rally in the bottom half of the inning getting a walk off opportunity.   

With two outs, Whitney singled to right field that got the rally started.  Hailey Mollno (Glendora, Calif.) then came up and singled up the middle and was followed by an Ahern walk that loaded the bases.  But Heal would groundout to the shortstop that ended the comeback allowing Redlands to escape with the split.

Heal was 3-5 for the game with two runs scored and an RBI.  Troutman was 2-4 with two runs scored and two RBI's, while Whitney and Sanchez were both 2-3 and 2-4 combining for two runs scored and three runs batted in.           

Whittier returns to non-conference play tomorrow, Monday, February 29 when they host the Milwaukee School of Engineering in a double header with game times set for 12:30pm and 2:30pm.