Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Whittier College Softball team who was coming into Friday riding a six-game winning streak came away with a split with Occidental College winning game one 8-4 before falling 4-3 in the nightcap.
The Purple & Gold have been red-hot as of late and kept their winning streak intact at seven games but couldn't complete the sweep as Oxy managed to come away with their biggest win of the season. Whittier improves to 17-17-1, 14-12 SCIAC and hold firm to the No. 4 slot in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Standings.
Game 1 (W, 8-4)
Whittier led early 2-0 early following a big 1st Inning. Brianna MaGee (Torrance, Calif.) started things off with a walk and then came all around to score following a double from Kacey Whitney (Cypress, Calif.). Jade Sanchez (Whittier, Calif.) and Naomi Martinez (Marina Del Rey, Calif.) then loaded the bases with back to back hit by pitches and Natalia Sanchez (Chino Hills, Calif.) ended the scoring with a groundout to the second baseman.
A three-spot in the 3rd added to the Poets lead coming on three hits with Sanchez and Sierra Rodriguez (Whittier, Calif.) both singling to center and Martinez bringing in two with a base hit to right.
Oxy got those three runs back though the very next inning capitalizing on a Poet miscue and combining that with three hits. In the 5th, both teams added runs to keep it a two-run game. Whittier getting theirs off the bat of Sofia Paniagua (Glendora, Calif.) who drove a two-out single to left. Then in the 6th the Poets put the game away bringing across two runs thanks to Megan Heal (San Jose, Calif.) who doubled scoring Martinez and Brittany Attaway (Claremont, Calif.).
Amanda Melodia (Placentia, Calif.) got the start going 3.1 innings giving up three runs on five hits. She gave way to Alexis Vargas (Pomona, Calif.) who threw the final 3.2 innings giving up a run on three hits. Melodia collects the win improving to 4-3.
Martinez was a perfect 2-for-2 on the day scoring twice and driving in a pair. She also drew a walk. MaGee and Whitney were each 2-for-4 both adding runs and Heal added the pinch hit double scoring once, plating two and drawing a walk.
Game 2 (L, 4-3)
The second game of the doubleheader went the distance where the Tigers were able to pull off the one-run victory.
Whittier struck first with another two runs in their opening at-bats. MaGee doubled to start things off and was followed by an Attaway single and back-to-back two out base hits from Martinez and Heal.
These would be the only runs picked up though by WC until the 7th when they made it a one-run game using three hits and an error. They trailed 4-2 after Oxy put together the four runs across the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings. Whittier looked like they would put together an impressive comeback in the 7th though getting the bases loaded despite a quick two outs. Whitney led off the inning with a single but was taken off the base paths following an Attaway lineout to the third-baseman, which doubled her up.
But after that Whittier rallied with Sanchez singling, Martinez reaching on an error by the pitcher and Heal drawing a walk. Jannelle Ha (Arcadia, Calif.) then stepped in and drove a single through the left side that made it a one-score game but that's where the rally ended as Yolanda Oregel (Anaheim, Calif.) would groundout on the infield.
Sam Casanas (La Habra, Calif.) got the start and went 5.1 innings giving up four runs on seven hits. She also struck out three as she was charged with the loss. Ha finished the game going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Whitney was 2-for-4 and Attaway was 1-for-3 with a run scored an RBI and a walk.
