SALEM, Va. – The University of Redlands softball team (46-6), in only their second NCAA Division III Women's College World Series (WCWS) appearance, advances to the championship series after taking down the No. 3 seed Simpson College, 6-3, on the back of a five-run second inning.
Following a scoreless first inning, Avery Provenzano (San Jose, CA) got the Bulldogs on the scoreboard first in the second inning with a two-run double to right center that scored Natalie Lowthers (Wrightwood, CA) and Maya Holshoe (Redlands, CA). Lowthers reached earlier on a single up the middle and Holshoe reached on a Fielder's Choice. After a base hit by Adyson Kim (Millbrae, CA) that loaded the bases Provenzano then scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.
The top of the order of Brooklyn Bard (Long Beach, CA) and Leila Gomez (San Bernardino, CA) then extended the inning each with singles and scored a run to make it 5-0 Redlands after two complete.
Simpson made a comeback attempt in the third through fifth innings, scoring three runs thanks to three extra base hits. But Redlands was able to maintain their lead, 5-3, heading to the bottom of the fifth.
That same inning the U of R got one of those runs back. Bard started the inning off with a single down the left field line before stealing second. Gomez then reached on a throwing error following a bunt, which put runners on the corners. Two batters later Lowthers hit a deep fly ball to center tagging up Gomez moving the score to 6-3.
Katlyn Gandara (Whittier, CA) came into the circle in the sixth after a leadoff walk and with a 2-0 count on the batter. Thanks to a double play by Kim, Provenzano, and Madeline Hughes (Rancho Cucamonga, CA), Gandara would get out of the inning with no damage.
Gandara finished off the save in the seventh with two ground outs, and after a throwing error, she got a fly ball to Gomez in right to secure the win.
Bard and Gomez had four total hits at the top of the lineup with Provenzano adding two in the eight spot.
Paige Ellinger (Temecula, CA) worked around a lot of base runners, stranding five in four innings. She allowed four hits, four walks, and two earned runs with a strikeout as she got her sixth win of the season. After Caitlynn Griffith (Pala, CA) worked the fifth and start of the sixth, Gandara went the final two innings with no hits allowed. She got her second save of the season.
Redlands gets another day off tomorrow before playing the No. 2 seed Trine University in the championship series, which begins on Tuesday, June 2 at 8:00 a.m. pacific time (PT). The series is a best-of-three just like the super regional. Game two is Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. PT. The if necessary game three would immediately follow game two just like a normal doubleheader.
