McMINNVILLE, Ore. – The University of Redlands Softball team (33-13) handed No. 1 Linfield University their first loss of the season in game two of the doubleheader Friday as Paige Ellinger (Temecula, CA) threw a complete game in the 4-2 win. In the second game of the day, and the third of the series, the Wildcat offense was too much as they run-ruled the Bulldogs in five innings, 17-7.
Game 2 (W 4-2)
Paige Messenlehner (Fresno, CA) repeated her first inning performance from game one Thursday as she doubled to right center scoring Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA) in the bottom of the first as the Bulldogs were the designated home team.
Then in the second inning Kassidy Long (Hemet, CA) reached on an error, which allowed Messenlehner and Leila Gomez to score making it 3-0. Leila Jackson (Vallejo, CA) then came to the plate and doubled to left field with two outs as Natalie Lopez (Long Beach, CA) scored the third run of the inning pushing the lead to 4-0.
Linfield got a pair of runs back on solo home runs in the fourth and sixth innings, but Ellinger was able to hold the Wildcats to only five base runners after getting the 4-0 lead.
Messenlehner and L. Jackson each finished with two hits and two of the four RBI's. Ellinger finished with only three hits allowed across seven innings as she improved to 10-4.
Game 3 (L, 17-7 | 5-Innings)
The Bulldogs opened the game with the first run for the third time in as many contests as Long doubled home Messenlehner who had the RBI in that situation in the first two games.
In the bottom of the first the Wildcats took the momentum back with five runs off starter Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) forcing Ellinger into the game.
The very next half inning Horton got a run back with a sacrifice fly to left that scored Jenay Scott (Merced, CA). Gandara and Messenlehner were then able to close the deficit to one, 5-4, with a pair of RBI-singles.
After Linfield responded with two more runs in the second and one in the third, they blew the game open with a nine-run fourth that ended the comeback as it was a 13-run deficit, 17-4, heading into the fifth.
In that fifth inning, however, the Bulldogs created some fireworks with Messenlehner and Long singling to load the bases after a walk to L. Jackson. Scott and Ashley Shelton then got runs five and six with a single and a bases loaded walk. The seventh and final run came on a fielder's choice from Horton as UR would leave the bases loaded to end the game.
Horton finished with two RBI's, Gandara added two more hits, a run, and an RBI, Messenlehner was a perfect 3-for-3, and Long and Scott also had multi-hit days.
With the win in game one Friday Redlands remains alive to force game four Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. The Bulldogs will have to win both games of the doubleheader to advance to the super regionals.
