REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Softball team (2-0) opened their 2024 season with a pair of non-conference wins against Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) competition on Saturday as they run-ruled both Chapman University (8-0) and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (15-7).  

Game 1 (Chapman University; W, 8-0 | 5-Innings)

The Bulldogs got off to a great start in the first inning as they scored four runs thanks to a single from Kassidy Long (Hemet, CA) that plated Brooklyn Bard (Garden Grove, CA) followed by a three-run blast from first-year Leila Jackson (Vallejo, CA).  

In the third Avery Duran (Corona, CA) lined out to center field and picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly as Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA) would come in.  

Runs six and seven came in the fourth when Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) singled into center scoring Kayla Jackson (Bishop, CA) and Paige Messenlehner (Fresno, CA).

Later that same inning Horton tripled to center and scored Adyson Kim (Millbrae, CA) for the eighth run as the Bulldogs' season opener ended in a run-rule victory after a quick top of the fifth.

Gandara earned her first win of the season after throwing four shutout innings, while Paige Ellinger (Temecula, CA) closed out the fifth needing only 11 pitches.  Horton finished a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, Long was 2-for-2 scoring once and driving in another, and L. Jackson was 1-for-2 scoring once and driving in three.  

Game 2 (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps; W, 15-7 | 6-Innings

After a fantastic start against Chapman, the Maroon and Grey found themselves behind against CMS allowing six runs to the Athenas across the first two innings. The Bulldogs, though, would chip away at the lead in the bottom of the second when Kim singled down the right field line picking up a pair of RBI's.

Sophia Magcale (Cerritos, CA) and Annissa Dorres (Mentone, CA) got the third and fourth runs of the game as the lead was only two, 6-4.

CMS got their seventh and final run in the fourth on a single before the Bulldogs took the lead in the bottom half of the inning after scoring four times.

The scoring in the fourth started when Long singled to left. L. Jackson then drove in the tying runs as the game was locked up at seven. The game-winning run came from Messenlehner who brought in L. Jackson.

The run-rule victory was secured in the fifth and sixth innings when Kim got an RBI in the fifth and then Isabella Culp with another two RBI's in the sixth.  This all occurring in front of Bard who scored two on a triple and Horton who walked it off with a fielder's choice for the 15-7 win.

Gandara came out of the bullpen and threw three one run innings as she collected her second win of the day.  Horton again provided the offense going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, Bard was 2-for-4 scoring twice and driving in two, L. Jackson was 3-for-4 scoring three times and driving in another, and Long was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.    

 Redlands will return to the diamond on Tuesday, February 13 when they host La Sierra University for a single game beginning at 2:00pm.