THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The University of Redlands dropped a 4-3 decision in their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) series opener at California Lutheran University (CLU) Friday afternoon as they were outscored 4-0 after the second inning.
Bulldog starting pitcher Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) helped herself out with the bat as she drove in Natalie Horton (Palmdale, CA) with a double for a 1-0 lead in the first.
In the second the Bulldogs picked up another two runs on two plate appearances that did not result in a hit as Horton and Brooklyn Bard (Garden Grove, CA) each walked with the bases loaded. Sophia Magcale (Cerritos, CA) and Ashley Shelton (Jurupa Valley, CA) were the two who came in to score.
The Regals got on the board in the third with a two-out single and threatened to add more but the inning would end thanks to Jenay Scott (Merced, CA) who threw out a runner trying to advance from first to third.
CLU had their first three batters reach base in the fourth as they cut the lead to one, 3-2. After Gandara got a ground out to Horton at short, the Regals tied the game at three with a single to left. Gandara would avoid any further damage as she stranded the other two runners.
The Bulldogs had their opportunity to reclaim the lead in the top of the fifth as Gandara led off with a single followed by Adyson Kim (Millbrae, CA) with a walk. But after pinch runner Kayla Jackson (Bishop, CA) was caught stealing third, the next two hitters fouled out and flied out to left to end the half inning.
In the sixth CLU scored the eventual game-winning run with an RBI-single to center that allowed the lead off hitter, who doubled, to score.
Redlands had two more chances in the seventh with Horton at second, the tying run, and Gandara at first, but they would both get left stranded as the next two batters were unable to get a key hit as UR dropped game one.
Horton had a great day at the top of the lineup as she reached base all four times with a pair of hits and two walks. She also scored once, drove in a run, and stole two more bases, giving her 26 this season, tying her with Bard for the third most in single-season program history. Her career total is now 64, tying her for the second most all-time. Her two hits gives her 147 for her career, tying her for 10th most.
The Bulldogs will host the Regals for a doubleheader on Saturday, May 4 on senior day with first pitch of game one set for noon.
