THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Cal Lutheran softball earned its first conference win of the season today, holding on for a 5-4 victory over La Verne in the second game of a double header on Hutton Field to salvage a series split. Despite a strong start offensively in game one, numerous Regals errors coupled with a potent La Verne offense left CLU with a 12-5 loss earlier in the day.

Box Score (Game 1): ULV 12, CLU 5 - F
Box Score (Game 2): CLU 5, ULV 4 - F

CLU erased an early one-run deficit in game two with a three-run third inning in which they batted around. The team connected for three of their six hits in the frame, including back-to-back singles by Kathleen Watson-Otani and Brittany Labbe to lead it off. Sara Lichtsinn reached on an error and came in to score on a Kayla Sakamoto single to left. Danika Green and Debben Hoffer drew back-to-back walks in the inning and Hoffer's came with the bases loaded for an RBI.

The Regals extended their lead to 4-1 in the fourth after knocking starting pitcher Rebecca Ho from the game. Watson-Otani drew the first of her two walks in the game and came around to score on a trio of consecutive wild pitches by ULV reliever Breeanna De La Rosa.

La Verne answered with a pair of runs in the fifth on a two-RBI single off the bat of Raven Freret, plating Dee Dee Burns and Tara Allis who both reached on singles.

CLU added an insurance run in their half of the sixth. Shannon Tinsley lifted a long sacrifice fly to center, allowing Katelyn Downing, who singled to lead off the inning, to slide safely across the plate with the ultimate winning run.

In the top of the seventh, ULV staged a come-back effort with a run via a pair of CLU errors, but fortunately Nicolby Atallah kept her composure on the mound and retired the next two batters she faced. The first was a ground ball back at her, which she deflected to Downing at second base who made the easy throw to Labbe at first. Atallah got the final batter in her complete game to softly line out to second. The junior hurler earned her second victory of the spring for CLU by scattering nine hits, and three earned runs while striking out one.

The CLU offense in game two was led by Watson-Otani's 2-for-2 day at the plate, drawing a pair of walks and scoring two of the five CLU runs.

In game one, errors and erratic pitching hurt the Regals despite collecting 11 hits with two apiece from Downing and Hoffer.

Shannon Tinsley launched a two-out, two-run homerun to straight away centerfield in the bottom of the first inning of to put CLU on the board first. The offense got started when Watson-Otani layed down a perfect bunt for a single, which was an indication of how the first frame would go for the Regals. She swiped second and came around to score on the long ball.

The wind was troublesome for the Leopards in their opening defensive inning of the afternoon as CLU capitalized on a pair of misjudged balls that found the ground as they combined to tag Leopards starting pitcher Laura Olson for three runs on five hits. Lichtsinn crossed the plate on a Hoffer double for the final run of the frame.

CLU got some help from the wind in the second as well. An outfield error put runners at second and third with one out, allowing Green to lift a sac fly to add to the Regals tally.

The top of the third saw 10 Leos step up to the place as they scored six runs by stringing together four consecutive hits, including two doubles. Allis drove in two with hers and Freret plated one on a two-bagger of her own.

Tinsley led off the bottom of the fourth with a long double off the wall, but that was just one of three hits the Regals would connect for throughout the remainder of the game.

Meanwhile, the ULV bats stayed hot in the fourth, with four more runs on four doubles a single and a CLU fielding miscue. The Leopards added one more in each the fifth and seventh innings.

Downing started the game and was tagged with the loss, although she allowed just five earned runs of the 11 ULV scored while she was in the circle. After one out showings by both Shonna Christianson and Jennifer Shipley, Downing returned to the mound for the final seven outs.

The Leopards offensive attack was led by Allis who had a 3-for-4 day with a trio of RBIs and three runs scored. Jackie Duran also went 3-for-4, driving in and scoring a pair.

Olson went the distance for a complete game for ULV , striking out four. She pushed her record to 6-1 on the season.

Cal Lutheran (2-10, 1-5 SCIAC) handed La Verne just its second loss of the season as the Leopards are now 9-2 overall, 6-2 in league play.

CLU will be back in action tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 26, at noon against Chapman for a pair.