The 11th-ranked University of Redlands softball team battled it out with the Panthers of Chapman University in a duel of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's (SCIAC) top two teams.  The squads split results, with Redlands winning the second game by a score of 4-2 on a walk-off home run by freshman shortstop Vicki King (Thousand Oaks, CA), while Chapman prevailed in the opener by a score of 4-3. 

During the night cap, Redlands jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning, with King providing the scoring hit on a double, which plated senior center-fielder Sarah Beeman (Corona, CA) and sophomore designated player Nikoli Sharp (Lincoln, CA).

Junior pitcher Kaitlyn Hooper (Riverside, CA) held the Panthers scoreless through 4.2 innings, before Chapman rallied with one-run efforts in the fifth and sixth frames. 

With the score tied, senior pitcher Kayla Uphold (Fontana, CA) returned to the mound after throwing the first game.   With two runners on, she sat down the next two batters, getting out of a tight spot.

In the bottom of the seventh, freshman right-fielder Grace Rose (Villa Park, CA) led off the inning with a single, before Chapman recorded two outs to set up the late-game heroics by King.  This marked King's second home run of the season.

Overall, King led the Bulldog offense with a 2-for-4 effort, earning all four RBI of the game.

Uphold nabbed the win after entering the game with a tied score in the top of the fifth. 

In the opener, the Maroon and Gray saw the Panthers take a 4-0 lead through the top of the fourth. 

But the Bulldogs refused to go away and mounted a valiant comeback effort.  After sophomore first baseman Linda Park (Torrance, CA) recorded an RBI-single to plate freshman catcher Dani Santos (West Covina, CA) in the bottom of the inning, Redlands made it a one-run game in the fifth on Beeman's  second long ball of the season, bringing home Rose in the process.   Redlands looked to take the lead with Sharp, King, and Uphold all recording singles.  But Chapman's sophomore pitcher Kimmi Takahashi (Torrance, CA) took over the circle and recorded the final out.

Redlands gained another scoring opportunity in the seventh, when Beeman led off the frame with a single and then advanced to second on a heads-up play with no one covering the bag.  Sharp laid down a perfect bunt to put runners at first and third, but the Panthers' final pitcher of the game, freshman Natalie Both (Phoenix, AZ), got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.

Beeman went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while Uphold was 3-for-4.

Uphold suffered the loss after a complete-game showing with four strikeouts, no walks, and nine hits allowed.

Chapman's sophomore Cassie Oregel (Anaheim, CA) earned the win in 4.2 innings of work.  She scattered eight hits and gave up three runs.  Both came up with the save for the Panthers in the final frame.

Redlands (14-5, 8-3 SCIAC) takes to the road for a conference twin bill against the University of La Verne on Sat., March 23, beginning at 12 noon.