Photo: Tony Leon/D3WestPhotography

WHITTIER, Calif. (May. 1, 2022) – The Whittier College softball team concluded the 2022 regular season against California Lutheran University on Sunday, with the Poets hanging 12 runs on the Regals in Thousand Oaiks on Saturday prior to hosting the Regals for two games on Sunday to close out the season. The Poets were mathematically eliminated from SCIAC Postseason Tournament consideration on Saturday when Pomona-Pitzer Colleges swept Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges to solidify themselves ahead of the Poets, holding the tiebreaker in a best-case scenario.

Saturday: Whittier 12, Cal Lutheran 5

The Poets put on a hitting clinic away from Palmer Field on Saturday afternoon, combining for a season-high 19 hits on the afternoon without commiting a single error. Senior Brianna MaGee and sophomore Emily Adkison (Laguna Niguel, Calif. / Mater Dei) combined for eight of those hits as well as five RBI's, exhibiting a tremendous feel for what the host Regals could dish out on the mound. Whittier's big inning came in the sixth when they put six runs on the board using a volume-based approach. The Poets opened the frame with three singles before MaGee knocked home senior Emily Facio (Chino, Calif. / Chino) and sophomore Sara Chiala (Los Gatos, Calif. / Los Gatos) with a double into right center. MaGee's big hit triggered a pitching change from the Regals, but the results proved to be more of the same. Base knocks from Adkison and junior infielder Kelly Monroy (La Puente, Calif. / Rio Hondo College) followed, and senior third baseman Yolanda Oregel (Anaheim, Calif. / Loara) would close the inning by delivering in a bases-loaded situation to bring two more runs home.

Whittier came one run away from burying the Regals and heading back on the bus with a mercy-rule victory in hand, but the home team manged to hold the Poets off long enough to see a seventh inning. The Poets would go on to score four more times in the final frame, however, rivaling the fourth frame with a base knock from senior infielder Ashlei Sanchez (San Dimas, Calif. / San Dimas) getting the visitors started. Junior starting pitcher Katelyn Calvetti (Monterey, Calif. / Monterey) led the Purple & Gold through the entire game, punching out six Regals over seven frames to secure the win.

Sunday Game 1: Cal Lutheran 5, Whittier 2

The tone of the games flipped for Sunday's doubleheader, with the Regals keeping the Poets at a distance with some solid defense. The Poets would have their moments, however, with a late rally nearly materializing in the seventh inning. Facio, who was one of five Whittier seniors to be honored before the game, opened the inning with a walk, and would soon be joined on base by sophomore Marissa Flynn (Covina, Calif. / South Hills) and then pinch-runner Amanda Diaz (Diamond Bar, Calif. / Diamond Bar). Monroy would then send both runners home with an RBI single into center field, and eventually, the Poets would load the bases once again, making for an interesting late-game situation. However, the Poets ran out of outs to make their comeback with, and would be forced to turn their attention immediately towards Game 3. Junior pitcher Jamie Garvey (Wilmington, Calif. / El Camino College) overwhelmed the Regals at points, delivering seven strikeouts over the seven-inning game.

Sunday Game 2: Cal Lutheran 5, Whittier 2

The Poets went out on their shield, showing once again they could come on strong in late-game scenarios, but also again ran out of time to make a big offensive move. Oregel went 3-for-3 at the dish in the final game of her career, while MaGee tripled in the final at-bat of her career, helping to secure a .400 season batting average right in line with her career totals. The senior outfielder's three-bagger would be followed up with a two-run bomb from Monroy, who should be a cornerstone of the Poets offense in 2023. Two other players, Chiala and freshman catcher Bella Bordine (La Mesa, Calif. / Helix), would finish the game with multiple hits, helping to give Whittier 11 in the second game of the day. However, the Poets' timing wasn't quite up to Saturday's standards, though they did manage to leave fewer runners on base than the Regals. Monroy would also double earlier in the game, securing the team lead in slugging with a .649 percentage. 

The Poets have finished the 2022 campaign with 22 wins, which came just two away from tying their SCIAC Postseason Tournament Championship 2019 season. However, the Purple & Gold had a tougher time putting together sustained success against conference opponents. They should, however, find themselves back in the SCIAC mix next year, with just five seniors set to move on. The Poets closed the season with a combined team triple-slash line of .310/.360/.440 with 20 home runs.

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