Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College Softball team picked up two big wins Saturday over the University of Redlands on the road winning 3-2 and 5-4 jump starting Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play.
The Purple & Gold move back to .500 at 4-4, 2-0 SCIAC, while Redlands drops to 2-6, 0-2 SCIAC.
Game 1 (W, 3-2)
The Poets jumped all over Bulldog starter Lindsey Mifsud getting all three of their runs in the first inning. In that frame they added three hits that put UR in the hole early. Kacey Whitney (Cypress, Calif.) led off the inning with a walk and then moved up due to an illegal pitch. Sierra Rodriguez (Whittier, Calif.) then played small ball advancing the runner with a bunt single and then advanced to second on the throw. Marialena Ahern (Fremont, Calif.) then stepped up and singled up the middle and also moved up on a throw scoring Whitney, right in front of a Natalia Sanchez (Chino Hills, Calif.) triple down the right field line that cleared the bases.
This would be all Whittier would need as Samantha Blum (San Jose, Calif.) threw five shutout innings, surrendering just one run in the 4th and 6th to pick up her second win on the season. She went a complete game giving up one earned run with five strikeouts.
Rodriguez finished the game going 2-4 with a run scored. Sanchez was 2-4 with two RBI's, while Ahern was 1-3 with a run scored a run batted in.
Game 2 (W, 5-4)
The second game was like the first where the Poets jumped all over the UR starter. This time it was Mika Imoto who got roughed up for five runs on three hits in the first inning again putting the Bulldogs in an early hole.
Whitney singled up the middle and moved up to second after a Rodriguez walk. Ahern loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch and Sanchez came up clutch again with a single through the right side. Two batters later Dani Rozhon (Apple Valley, Calif.) brought in the second with a sacrifice fly. After a dropped third strike that put on Rebecca Barber (El Monte, Calif.) that extended the inning, Ally Fonseca (Pico Rivera, Calif.) capitalized doubling to right that cleared the bases.
Again this would be all the Poets would need as they would hold on for the one run victory. Despite giving up three runs over the 3rd and 4th innings Annika Seedborg (Hawaiian Gardens, Calif.) was able to regroup and pick up the win and the save. Blum came in relief and threw 2.2 innings giving up an unearned run with two strikeouts.
Fonseca finished 2-3 with three runs batted in. Whitney was 1-3 with a run scored and Sanchez was 1-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Whittier returns to the diamond next Saturday, March 4 as they look to go 4-0 in SCIAC competition as they welcome in Pomona-Pitzer with game times set for 12:00pm and 2:00pm.
