REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Softball team (19-4) split their home doubleheader with No. 12 Williams College at the Field of Dreams Tuesday afternoon as they bounced back from a 5-1 game one loss to win game two, 5-2.
Game 1: Redlands 1 – Williams 5
The Bulldogs held the first lead of the game when Leila Gomez (San Bernardino, CA) grounded out plating pinch runner Kayla Jackson (Bishop, CA).
The Ephs then scored twice in the fourth and three times in the fifth to go in front 5-1. That lead would be more than enough as the Bulldogs never had more than a hit in any inning as they lost at home for the first time since February.
Despite the offensive struggles, Faith Hernandez (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) did record a pair of hits.
In the circle Paige Ellinger (Temecula, CA) started and went 4.2 innings with three strikeouts with only two of the five runs allowed being earned. Brianna Garcia (Riverside, CA) finished off the final 2.1 innings with no runs allowed.
Game 2: Redlands 5 – Williams 2
In the second inning of Game 2 Redlands doubled their game one scoring output as Natalie Lowthers (Wrightwood, CA) tripled home K. Jackson and an RBI-groundout by Adyson Kim (Millbrase, CA) made it 2-0.
The Ephs scored once in the fourth to cut the lead in half. But the Bulldogs, though, put the game out of reach with an RBI-triple into right center by Paige Messenlehner (Fresno, CA) and an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Brooklyn Bard (Garden Grove, CA). The third run of the frame came from starter Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) who brought Bard around on an RBI-groundout.
In the sixth, Williams looked like they would rally nearly getting two runners on base when they singled and an error let the lead runner advance to third, but the Eph batter was thrown out at second by Jenay Scott (Merced, CA) in center field who attempted to stretch the hit into a double for out number two.
Gandara then induced a ground ball, which was bobbled and the batter reached, which allowed the runner at third to come home making it 5-2. Gandara, though, refocused and struck out the next batter to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the frame Redlands tried to extend their lead past three with the bases loaded after Avery Duran (Corona, CA) and Scott each had singles with a fielder's choice in between. It would turn out to be a scoreless frame after a fielder's choice back to the circle gave Williams an out at home and a ground out to second that ended the inning.
Williams did not go quietly in the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate after a pair of two-out singles. Gandara would seal the win with a ground ball to Kim at third where she stepped on third for the force out ending the game.
Lowthers got the start behind the plate and went 2-for-3. Scott went 3-for-3 in the nine-hole. The top three in the order of Messenlehner, Bard, and Gandara had three of the five RBI's.
In the circle Gandara allowed only one earned run as she needed only 70 pitches to throw the complete game and record her eighth win on the season.
Redlands returns to Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) competition this Friday, March 28 at 3:00 p.m. when they travel to Orange for a single game at Chapman University.
