REDLANDS, Calif. (May 4, 2026) – With the dramatic conclusion to Saturday's series finale with Chapman University, the Whittier College softball team is on to its first SCIAC Tournament appearance in seven years.
The last time Whittier saw the softball postseason, the Poets won the SCIAC Tournament to cap off a magical, banner 2019 season. That year, the Poets upset the top-seeded Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas in the opening before falling to second-seeded Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, only to take out the Athenas again before going runner-runner on the Sagehens to win the title and earn an automatic bid to NCAA Division III Regionals.
That year, the Poets made magic as the tournament's fourth-seeded team -- the last team in a loaded field. Fast forward seven years into the future and the Poets find themselves in an identical spot in as top-heavy a SCIAC Tournament as there's been in recent memory. While the Poets, along with second-seeded Chapman University and third-seeded University of La Verne all have different skillsets to bring to the table, the nationally-ranked No. 5 University of Redlands Bulldogs will be the undisputed favorite heading into this weekend's slate.
The Bulldogs ran roughshod on SCIAC teams this year, posting a nearly-unblemished 20-1 SCIAC record in what has traditionally been a loaded conference for Division III softball. A key to Redlands' success has been an ability to beat teams several different ways and manufacture runs even when the team isn't having its best day. They are home to the best two-way player in the conference by most metrics and a freshman arm who, whether in starting or a relief role, has already risen to being one of the top arms in the SCIAC.
As tough a test as Redlands will be for the remaining three teams, the Poets project to be a team that will have opportunities to test the Bulldogs' pitching. Head Coach
Terry Schweikert and the Poets have been victors in each of their previous five SCIAC series this season and have won the previous three by sweeping Saturday's doubleheader. All the while, they've grown into having the second-best offense in the league by almost every metric and, collectively, led all SCIAC teams with 24 home runs over the full season. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, had just 10, while no other team had more than 15.
Sophomore catcher
Mariah Rodriguez (Barstow, Calif. / Barstow) has been a force of nature in Year 2 and a legitimate key to the Poets' season-long power surge. Rodriguez established herself as one of the nation's top offensive catchers by smacking nine home runs to go with 39 RBIs and a .442 batting average. Plate discipline has also been a hallmark of Whittier's success this year, as the Poets' are one of just two teams with an conference OBP of .400 or greater. Grad student
Kelly Nutter (Carlsbad, Calif. / La Costa Canyon / Cal State San Marcos | Palomar College), a one-time All-Region recipient who started every game at second base this season, has been a big reason for this as the SCIAC walks leader. She drew 17 free passes without being hit by a single pitch, and she too has shown an ability to mash with 15 extra base hits as the Poets' regular clean-up hitter down the stretch.
Another key for Whittier this season has been the improved fielding. Last year, the Poets showed flashes of the offensive team they grew into in 2026, though their defense proved to be an opportunity area. This year, the Poets tightened up when the SCIAC schedule hit and their .954 fielding percentage is good for second among SCIAC Tournament teams. Beyond that, Palmer Field has seen its fair share of defensive highlights this season between sophomore
Laila Pulachet (Norwalk, Calif. / Bravo / Hawaii Pacific University) establishing herself as a top defensive shortstop in the conference and freshman
Tiaira Richardson (Vista, Calif. / Rancho Buena Vista)'s propensity for firing lasers from right field. Richardson enters this weekend as the last SCIAC Hitter of the Week of the 2025-26 regular season and posted strong freshman numbers that will surely earn her consideration for SCIAC Newcomer of the Year.
Richardson is not the Poets' only talented freshman -- rookie first baseman
Mia Gonzales (Pico Rivera, Calif. / Schurr) bopped six home runs this year, good for second on the team while displaying a level of bat control well beyond her years. Meanwhile, junior center fielder
Daniella Contreras (Buena Park, Calif. / John F. Kennedy), the Poets' leadoff hitter, just hit her first but put her gap power on full display this year with 14 doubles, second on the team to only Rodriguez who became the first player in program history to smack 20 in a season.
The Poets enter this weekend's tournament as a young team with talent all over the diamond and nothing to lose. Two-way player
Maya Torres (Lakewood, Calif. / Artesia) has split time in the circle, as a DP, at first base and at shortstop this season, and regardless of where she played or where she hit in the order constantly displayed a propensity to deliver at the dish as one of the team's best all-around athletes. Likewise, third baseman
Lana Escarcega (San Jose, Calif. / Valley Christian) earned a regular role this year -- and both her and Torres are just sophomores. Freshman
Addison Sorto (Los Gatos, Calif. / Los Gatos), another young talent, backs Rodriguez up at catcher but has found ways into the lineup as of late thanks to her bat.
As young as they are, Whittier does possess a degree of senior leadership that will be key when the going gets tough this weekend. Senior
Bella Peinado (Ventura, Calif. / Ventura) has worked her way to becoming Coach Schweikert's most trusted big-game option, and the talented lefty enters the weekend coming off a career season. She set career-high totals in wins, ERA, WHIP and strikeouts, and only got better down the stretch with a SCIAC ERA of just above three. The Poets are good for almost six runs per game on average, but support from Torres as well as junior
Mariah Zapata (Apple Valley, Calif. / Granite Hills / Fullerton College | Long Beach City College) and freshman
Aaliyah Garcia (Ontario, Calif. / Colony) will be key to the Poets having a deep tournament run. Peinado's lone senior classmate
Olivia Butler (San Jose, Calif. / Pioneer) has also been a key piece of the team this year. Butler has two game-winning hits to her name this season and if her number gets called, the Poets figure to be in good hands.
Whittier opens this weekend's SCIAC Tournament against top-seeded Redlands on Friday, May 8 at 3:30 p.m. at the Field of Dreams on the University of Redlands campus. Per-day tickets for Friday's games can be purchased
here.
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