THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - A pair of Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) victories for Cal Lutheran softball came at the expense of Whittier today at Hutton Field as the Regals opened the afternoon with a complete game, 5-0, shutout from Shonna Christianson and wrapped up the day with a come-from behind 3-2 victory to close out the series.
CLU made quick work of WC in games that lasted less than two hours apiece. Overall, the Regals combined for 12 hits, allowing eight and outscored the Poets a combined 8-2 as the Violet and Gold leapfrogged the Purple and Gold to take over second place in the conference standings.
In another total team effort, everyone contributed. Cal Lutheran got two hits apiece today from Andrea Brackpool, Katelyn Downing, Stephanie Martello and Courtney Sooy with all but Martello recording a double. Sooy scored three times and Downing was responsible for a pair of runs.
Christiansonimproved to 4-0 in the circle with her second complete game of the season by way of a three-hit shutout. She got all the run support she would need in the bottom of the first inning on a leadoff double from Downingfollowed by an RBI single from Martello.
The Regals would add runs in the fourth and fifth as insurance. A Whittier error allowed Sooyto reach and advance to second base as the leadoff batter in the bottom of the fourth inning. She moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt from Christianson and came in to double the CLU lead on a sacrifice fly from Liz Mertel.
Another Poets error gave Cal Lutheran an early advantage in the fifth as Downing reached on the throwing miscue. She was pushed to second on a sac bunt from Kayla Sakamoto and hit the plate on a two-out Sooy double down the left field line. Christianson followed suit by helping her own cause with a two-RBI double in the same spot to increase the advantage to 5-0 as Sooy and Martello, who was hit by a pitch, both scored.
Whittier generated some excitement in the fourth, loading the bases before Christianson forced a ground ball to Kelly Lockwood at second, ending the threat. A pair of singles in the fifth put two on, but the CLU hurler got out of the jam and went on to retire the final eight batters she faced.
In the game, Downing had two of the six hits and reached base three times. Both she and Sooy scored twice apiece. The three WC hits came from a trio of different players. Courtney DeLano (7-3) was tagged with the loss after going 3.1 innings, allowing three hits and two runs. Anna Cade threw the final 2.2 innings and did not fare any better, surrendering three hits and three runs.
Sooy (6-4) got the start, and earned the win in game two after striking out three and scattering five hits and two runs over 7.0 innings.
A line drive back at the freshman pitcher started the game off, but luckily for the Regals the ball ricocheted to Martello at shortstop and was converted into an out at first. Sooy walked the next batter and surrendered back-to-back hits, the final one a two-RBI double by Mickala Gonzales, though that was all the offensive production the Poets would muster. Sooy would not allow a batter to advance past second base for the remainder of the game.
The first CLU spark of the game came in the bottom of the third inning when Ryanna Morua went with a pitch for an opposite field double to right field. A sacrifice from Downing moved Morua up 60 feet and she scored as Sakamoto nearly beat out an infield hit to cut the Cal Lutheran deficit in half.
An inning later the Regals knotted things up at 2-2 with another two-out rally. Sooy collected a single and raced around the bases to score on a Brackpool line-drive double.
Cal Lutheran sent six players to the plate in the sixth and had an opportunity to break things open, but would settle for the winning run the Regals needed. Christina Hunter drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Martello singled to put runners at the corners, bringing up Danika Green. The CLU designated player promptly laced a single to right, scoring Hunter with the game-winner.
Whittier (13-5, 9-5 SCIAC) collected five hits in the second game with two coming from Samantha Mellano. Emi Shimamoto drew a walk and each player scored. Samantha Blum (4-2) threw the complete 6.0 inning game in the loss.
Cal Lutheran (12-6, 8-2 SCIAC) continues SCIAC competition on the road on Tuesday afternoon, Mar. 18 when the Regals travel to Chapman for two. First pitch of the double dip is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 5, WC 0
Box Score: CLU 3, WC 2
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