THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - There is no better way to spend spring break than at the softball diamond. For the Cal Lutheran squad, it has been a productive and successful stretch as the Regals earned a pair of victories to push their win streak to five. After a grand slam by Kelly Lockwood in game one served as the winning hit, the junior shortstop came up big in the clutch again with a two-out, game-winning two-RBI double in the bottom of the seventh of the second game as CLU defeated Hamline (Minn.) 8-5 and 3-2 at Hutton Field today.
In the first game, HU struck first in the top of the first with a trio of consecutive hits with a triple, double and single, putting up the first crooked number. A line-drive at Lockwood turned into an inning-ending double-play when she stepped on second.
CLU plated a pair in the third. Lockwood drove in Ryanna Morua before Kayla Sakamoto legged out an infield single and a HU fielding error allowed Lockwood to double the run total.
Hamline retaliated by tying the game in the top of the fourth by way of two singles and a CLU error.
In the CLU half of the sixth inning, eight Regals stepped into the box. Blake Lewis led off with a single and Shonna Christianson bunted for a single. After Liz Mertel moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt, Danika Green pinch hit. She gave herself a great 21st birthday present with an RBI single to left field, breaking the tie. Morua went on to bunt for a hit of her own loading the bases for Lockwood. With one swing of the junior leadoff batter cleared the bases and gave Cal Lutheran a six-run cushion.
Needing just three outs to put it in the books, CLU was tested as the Hamline offense woke up. A pair of doubles, a single and a CLU error allowed the Pipers to plate three more runs, but a pair of pop ups to shortstop ended the HU threat as Katelyn Downing (4-8) closed out a complete game effort from the circle.
Lockwood was 3-for-5 with five RBIs and two runs scored and Sakamoto was 2-for-4 in a nine-hit game for the Regals.
For Hamline, Jamie Rubbelke, Stephanie Borndale and Jenna Dushaw had two hits apiece as the Pipers collected 10. Lauren Clouston (2-2) was tagged with the loss, allowing six earned runs and striking out a pair.
The dramatics continued in the second of the double-dip. CLU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first frame on an RBI double to the right centerfield gap by Brittany Labbe, which scored Lockwood who reached on an error.
That lead held until the top of the fifth when a pair of CLU errors on the same play, coupled with a single and a suicide squeeze gave Hamline a 2-1 lead. With two down in the inning, Christianson handed the ball to Lewis, who sat the final batter down on a swinging strike out.
Lewis went on to toss 2.1 innings of scoreless softball, getting a 5-3 double-play to end the sixth after a strike out to start the frame. The freshman also started the top of the seventh with a strike out. An error allowed pinch hitter Elaina Hamman to reach, bringing the top of the order back to the plate for the Pipers. A sacrifice bunt was fielded cleanly by Mertel for the second out and a ground ball to the hot corner ended the inning.
With one last chance, the CLU offense dug in. Downing took advantage of a second opportunity after a dropped foul pop up to the catcher allowed her to stroke a pinch-hit single to lead it off. Mertel layed down another sac bunt and Christina Hunter drew a walk. After a foul pop up for the second out, Lockwood stepped back up to the plate. She promptly lined a two-RBI double into right centerfield to send the CLU dugout into a frenzy as the Regals completed a sweep on a perfect spring afternoon.
In a game that saw just eight combined hits and five combined errors, CLU had the edge.
Lewis (1-4) earned the first win of her collegiate career; with three Ks. Christianson lasted 4.2 innings, striking out a pair. Brianna Vela (2-2) was tagged with the loss.
Bethany Hine had all three HU hits in a 3-for-3 game with an RBI.
Overall today, Lockwood was 4-for-9 with seven RBIs and three runs for CLU.
Cal Lutheran (7-17) will being the final stretch of Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play on Friday, April 5 when the Regals travel to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for a pair beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Game 1: CLU 8, HU 5
Game 2: CLU 3, HU 2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports
