Photo: Tony Leon/D3WestPhotography

WHITTIER, Calif. (Apr. 10, 2022) – Senior Yolanda Oregel (Anaheim, Calif. / Loara) contributed another walk-off hit to a Whittier College softball season not light on them, as the Poets took the second game from Pomona-Pitzer Colleges during this weekend's SCIAC series.

Friday: Pomona-Pitzer 1, Whittier 0

The Poets have had razor-close outcomes in each of the last seven games leading up to Saturday's second game, and Friday's game was no exception, marking the sixth-consecutive one-run game the Poets found themselves in. The visitors got great combined pitching from juniors Katelyn Calvetti (Monterey, Calif. / Monterey) and Riley Garcia (Fullerton, Calif. / Sunny Hills), with Garcia recording the final two outs to tee the Poets' offense up for some potential late magic in a one-run game. Calvetti, meanwhile did a solid job of scattering nine baserunners over seven innings. She also struck out three Sagehens.

Unfortunately for the visitors, they ran into some dominant pitching from their SCIAC foe, and had a tough time getting anything tangible together at the dish. Their best chance came in the fifth frame, when senior outfielder Emily Facio (Chino, Calif. / Chino) doubled into right-center field to give them a runner in scoring position with just one out on the board. Freshman catcher Maya Palos (Montebello, Calif. / Schurr) reached base on the ensuing at-bat, and with freshman outfielder Sara Luna (Downey, Calif. / Downey) pinch-running for Facio, a deep fly ball advanced both runners to second and third in the Poets' best scoring opportunity of the game. Facio led the way for the visiting team with a pair of hits, with her other hit coming on a single in the second inning.

Saturday Game 1: Whittier 5, Pomona-Pitzer 4

Whittier's luck took a turn for the better in the second game of the weekend series back at Palmer Field. This time, the Poets got another strong seven innings from junior pitcher Jamie Garvey (Wilmington, Calif. / El Camino College), allowing the bats to chip away at the Sagehens throughout the game. Following an opening inning hiccup, Garvey allowed just four hits over the final six innings without walking a batter to go with seven strikeouts. Base knocks from junior Kelly Monroy (La Puente, Calif. / Rio Hondo College) and sophomore Jocelyn Signoretti (La Palma, Calif. / Kennedy) helped erase Pomona-Pitzer's lead over the course of the game, but the Sagehens would ultimately take a one-run lead into the final inning of play.

After Garvey worked around a pair of Pomona-Pitzer hits in the top seventh, the Poets went to work in the bottom frame staring down the barrel of potentially a second-consecutive defeat, but were determined to circumvent that and keep their SCIAC Postseason Tournament hopes alive. Palos got things started with a leadoff single, with sophomore Amanda Diaz (Diamond Bar, Calif. / Diamond Bar) entering the game as a pinch-runner. Senior Ashlei Sanchez (San Dimas, Calif. / San Dimas) would then deliver a pinch-hit single to put two runners on the basepaths, and freshman Bella Bordine (La Mesa, Calif. / Helix) would soon join her teammates on base to set up a prime opportunity for senior Oregel. The third baseman singled into the outfield, bringing Diaz home to tie the game. The Poets, with an extra out to play with, then opted to wave sophomore pinch-runner Lindsey Perry (Corona, Calif. / Santiago) home. The risk paid off, as the sophomore was able to beat the throw and seal Whittier's first win of the weekend.

Saturday Game 2: Pomona-Pitzer 10, Whittier 2 (5 inn.)

Whittier had a tougher go of it in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. Palos, who hit for the third consecutive game, accounted for one of the Poets' two runs of the game along with sophomore first baseman Emily Adkison (Laguna Niguel, Calif. / Mater Dei), who homered in the final inning of Saturday's game, a solo shot.

Despite the setback, the Poets are not yet out of SCIAC Postseason Tournament contention. The Purple & Gold currently sit two games back of the University of La Verne and can still reclaim the fourth and final playoff spot with a positive result over the final six games, though there will be more clarity following this next weekend's series.

Head Coach Trisha Senyo and the Poets will be back in action on Friday, Apr. 22 when they host Chapman University at 3 p.m. for the first of a three-game weekend series.

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