The Bulldog softball team faced off against the University of La
Verne in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
(SCIAC) doubleheader at the Redlands "Field of Dreams" on Saturday,
splitting results with the Leopards. In game one, the Bulldogs came
out on top of a pitchers' duel by a score of 1-0 and then
dropped a 6-8 decision in the second game.
In the opening game, the Bulldogs scored one run in the bottom
of the third inning off of an RBI-single to right field by freshman
short stop Kai Masutani (Honolulu, HI). Freshman left fielder
Kirstie Bender (Lakewood, CA) led off the inning with a double,
which was followed by a sacrifice bunt by junior center fielder
Kayla Peterson (San Jose, CA) to move Bender to third base.
Masutani stepped up to the plate and provided an RBI-single for the
only run of the game.
Junior pitcher Olivia Ellis (Colfax, CA) threw a complete game
shutout for the Bulldogs, striking out four and scattering five
hits. On offense, junior catcher Nicky Neumann (Fremont, CA) went
3-for-3, while Bender, Masutani, senior designated player Roxy
Lambert (La Jolla, CA), and senior second baseman Dory Baga (Aiea,
HI) recorded hits for Redlands.
In the nightcap, the Bulldogs gave up an uncharacteristic eight
runs in the opening inning as the Leopards pounded nine hits and
took advantage of two errors.
However, Redlands responded with a two-out rally that scored
four runs in the bottom of the inning. Baga initiated the offense
with a single up the middle and later moved to third on an error.
Freshman right fielder Breanna Ruelas (Brawley, CA) and junior
designated player Amanda Doeppel (Monrovia, CA) brought runners in
with a single and double, respectively. Peterson then provided a
quick hit to the pitcher to score Doeppel.
The Bulldogs plated two more in the bottom of the fourth to pull
within two while shutting out the Leopards in six innings. However,
they came up short in their final efforts to tie the game, falling
by a score of 6-8.
Ruelas led the Redlands offense with two hits, an RBI and a run
scored, while Doeppel contributed one hit, one run and two RBI.
On the mound, Doeppel pitched 3.2 innings with six hits and two
strikeouts, while Ellis finished up the final three innings with a
shutout performance.
The Bulldogs (4-3, 2-2 SCIAC) look forward to hosting undefeated
Cal Lutheran University on Saturday, March 7, at 12 noon for a
SCIAC doubleheader.
