LA VERNE, Calif. (Mar. 7, 2026) – Sophomore third baseman Lana Escarcega (San Jose, Calif. / Valley Christian) delivered the best performance of her collegiate career while two-way player Maya Torres (Lakewood, Calif. / Artesia) reached base consistently to help the Whittier College softball team split its first SCIAC doubleheader of the season with the University of La Verne on Saturday afternoon.
Escarcega collected four hits and four RBIs in the second game of the twin bill, while Torres reached base in 80 percent of her plate appearances across the doubleheader as the Poets rebounded from a tight Game 1 loss to claim a high-scoring 14-11 victory in Game 2.
Game 1: La Verne 5, Whittier 3
Despite outhitting the Leopards nine to ten, the Poets came up just short in the opener after La Verne plated three runs across the fifth and sixth innings to break open a tightly contested game.
Whittier struck first in the second inning when Escarcega lined a single to center field to bring home Torres and give the Purple & Gold an early lead. The Poets added another run in the third as senior second baseman Kelly Nutter (Carlsbad, Calif. / La Costa Canyon / Cal State San Marcos) drew an RBI walk to plate Leah Vasquez (Simi Valley, Calif. / Simi Valley).
After La Verne answered with runs in the fourth and fifth innings, Whittier continued to battle late. Laila Pulachet (Norwalk, Calif. / Bravo / Hawaii Pacific University) delivered an RBI single in the seventh to score Torres and cut the deficit to two runs, but the Leopards held on to secure the win.
Torres paced the offense in Game 1 with two hits and two runs scored, while Nutter reached base four times via walks. Escarcega and Pulachet each drove in runs as the Poets finished with nine hits and seven walks on the afternoon.
Junior pitcher Mariah Zapata (Apple Valley, Calif. / Granite Hills / Long Beach City College) went the distance in the circle for Whittier, tossing her first complete game of the season while allowing five runs across six innings of work.
Game 2: Whittier 14, La Verne 11
The Poets responded in emphatic fashion in the second game of the doubleheader, erupting for six runs in the seventh inning to complete a cinematic comeback victory.
Escarcega delivered a career day at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with a double and four RBIs while consistently providing clutch hits throughout the game. Her two-run double in the
third inning helped spark an early Whittier rally, and she later delivered a key RBI single during the decisive seventh inning surge.
Torres continued her stellar afternoon as well, finishing the day 4-for-6 across the doubleheader with four RBIs and four walks. The senior capped the seventh inning rally with a two-run double that brought Whittier back within one run before the Poets completed the comeback.
Daniella Contreras (Buena Park, Calif. / John F. Kennedy) also turned in a strong performance, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two walks, and an RBI, while Mariah Rodriguez (Barstow, Calif. / Barstow) added two hits and an RBI of her own. Whittier totaled 13 hits and drew 10 walks in the contest as the offense produced runs in five different innings.
Freshman Natalia Morfin (Whittier, Calif. / Saint Paul) made her collegiate debut and proved to be the difference in the circle, tossing two scoreless innings of relief while allowing just one hit to secure the victory for the Poets and her first career win.
After the doubleheader split, Head Coach Terry Schweikert and the Poets move to 4-6 overall and 1-2 in SCIAC play. Whittier will return to Palmer Field on Tuesday, March 10 beginning at 12 p.m. for a non-conference doubleheader against Hamline University.
Follow and show support for your Whittier Poets on Twitter (@WCPoets), YouTube and Instagram (@PoetAthletics)!
