WHITTIER, Calif. (Mar. 28, 2024) – The Whittier College softball team, fresh off a week in which they went 2-1 against Williams College and Chapman University, took on a stiff test in the form of nationally-ranked No. 3 Linfield University on Thursday afternoon. The Poets hosted the Wildcats for two games, and displayed mixed success between the two outings.
Game 1 (5 inn.): Linfield 18, Whittier 5
Whittier's first taste of offensive success against the Wildcats came in the third inning, when freshman outfielder
Daniella Contreras (Buena Park, Calif. / John F. Kennedy) continued her efficient rookie campaign with a hard-hit double into right center field that brought home junior
Kelly Nutter (Carlsbad, Calif. / La Costa Canyon | Cal State San Marcos | Palomar College) and senior
Emily Adkison (Laguna Niguel, Calif. / Mater Dei). Contreras delivered again in the fifth inning, where the Poets mounted most of their offense for the game.
Linfield, meanwhile, found its offensive groove in the middle innings. With their backs against the wall, the Poets responded well with a three-run fifth inning that, while impressive, was not quite enough to extend the game into the sixth inning. Adkison led things off with a double into left center field, while classmate
Lindsey Perry (Corona, Calif. / Santiago) followed up by legging out a single to the shortstop that she would ultimately parlay into a stolen base opportunity. By inning's end, three different Poets came away with base knocks, including Contreras, senior third baseman
Marissa Flynn (Covina, Calif. / South Hills), and senior shortstop
Heaven Wolf (Montebello, Calif. / Schurr | Rio Hondo College), who added another RBI to her team-leading total.
Game 2 (5 inn.): Linfield 11, Whittier 0
Junior transfer
Kiley Kraft (Alhambra, Calif. / Ramona Convent Secondary School | Pasadena City College) held down the circle in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader, and gave a good account of herself against one of the toughest offenses she and her teammates will contend with all season. Kraft threw four-and-a-third innings, and gave up fewer walks and hits than she did innings pitched. She eventually gave way to reigning
SCIAC Pitcher of the Week Olivia Nunez (Placentia, Calif. / Valencia | Fullerton College), who finished out the game.
Offensively, the Poets found it tough sledding against one of Linfield's top pitchers who routinely painted the strike zone over the five-inning game.
Head Coach
Trisha Senyo and the Poets are tentatively scheduled to continue their season on Saturday, Mar. 30 against Oberlin College but if inclement weather happens to get in the way, the Poets will instead return to action on April Fools' Day when they resume their SCIAC series with Chapman University. The Poets took the
first game of the series last weekend.
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