Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Softball team earned their second straight trip to the SCIAC Post Season Tournament Saturday afternoon earning a split with Pomona-Pitzer.

After dropping game one 7-2 and having their backs pushed against the wall in a win or go home scenario, the Purple & Gold came out strong in game two winning 6-1 earning yet another berth into the post season, where anything can happen.

Game 1 (L, 7-2)

The Sagehens clicked on all cylinders in game one getting after Samantha Blum (San Jose, Calif.) early. 

Sophomore Marialena Ahern (Fremont, Calif.) got the Poets on top with a solo shot in the bottom half of the first.  Megan Heal (San Jose, Calif.) added one herself to deep left with two outs in the bottom half of the second but those would be the lone runs added by WC as Sagehen ace Liz Rodarte would scatter two hits over the next five innings.

Heal was 1-2 with a run scored and an RBI.  Ahern was 1-2 as well with a run scored and a run batted in and Sarah Crawford (San Diego, Calif.) and Ally Fonseca (Pico Rivera, Calif.) would pick up the other two hits. 

Blum was charged with the loss after going a complete game giving up seven runs on eight hits, while striking out four.         

Game 2 (W, 6-1)

Whittier came out fired up in game two and left the Sagehens in the dust playing determined to enter the SCIAC Post Season Tournament as they look to defend their 2015 Title.

Crawford drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to right field allowing Kacey Whitney (Cypress, Calif.) to score from third following a nice slide around the catcher catching the outside of the plate.

They put up a five spot in the third that opened the game up and didn't look back.  Fonseca led off with a single up the middle.  After back-to-back outs, Ahern walked that put runners on first and second and they both came in following a Crawford double down the left field line.  The very next batter, Natalia Sanchez (Chino Hills, Calif.) would double to left center that brought in another and Megan Troutman (Covina, Calif.) would show off her power in the ensuing at bat going yard that put the dagger in the Sagehens.

Blum went another complete game picking up the win, giving up one unearned run on five hits. 

Crawford finished 2-2 with a run scored and three RBI's.  Fonseca was 2-2 with a run scored and Sanchez and Troutman each registered a hit apiece.          

Whittier enters the SCIAC Post Season Tournament this Friday, May 6 as they travel to the University of La Verne to take on the top-seeded Leopards with game time to be announced.