REDLANDS, Calif. - On a scorching hot day, the Cal Lutheran softball team squared off for a doubleheader at Redlands where they would take game one, 4-3, before falling to the Bulldogs 9-8 in 10 innings in game two on Saturday afternoon.
Courtney Sooy (7-8) started in the circle for the Regals and went the distance once again for her 10th complete game this season. The sophomore allowed ten hits and three earned runs while striking out three and walking none to get the win.
Heading into the fifth inning trailing 2-1, Christina Hunter walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch with just one out. Olivia Leyva followed with a single, and an error from Redlands allowed Hunter to score easily and tie the game. The Regals were not done there as Amanda Lewis doubled to left field to bring home Leyva and break the tie. Makenna Pellerin kept the inning alive with a single through the right side to score Lewis and give CLU a 4-2 lead.
The Bulldogs tacked on a run in the fifth inning and threatened with the tying run on third in the seventh, but Sooy struck out the last batter of the game to capture the victory.
Pellerin went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the team while five other Regals came up with hits.
Game two featured a more offensive display as both teams combined for 27 hits and 17 runs.
Redlands jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after the first inning but Antonia Rapisardi tied the game with a two RBI single in the top of the second. The Bulldogs went back on top with two more in the bottom half of the inning and held a 4-2 lead until the fourth frame.
The Violet and Gold strung together four hits in the fourth to score three runs and take a 5-4 lead. Sooy drove home Liz Mertel with a double to left center and Hunter followed with an RBI single to right field. Leyva reached on a fielder's choice that brought Sooy around to score to take the lead.
As was the theme of the game, the lead was not safe for long as Redlands scored three in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead 7-5 and swap leads once again with CLU.
Hannah Brown and Rapisardi came up with big hits in the top of the fifth, and the Regals capitalized on an error from the Bulldogs to tie the game at 7-7.
Both teams were scoreless from the sixth through ninth innings, until CLU scraped across the go-ahead run in the tenth. After Brown was placed on second per extra inning rules, Rapisardi sacrificed her over to third. Sooy then hit a ball to shortstop that was misplayed and allowed Brown to come around and score.
In the bottom of the tenth, trailing 8-7, Redlands came up with a quick RBI single to score the runner that was placed on second and tie the game. Two walks in a row loaded the bases but the Regals were able to get a force out at the plate. With two outs and the bases still loaded, another walk brought home the game-winning run for Redlands.
Despite five errors from the Bulldogs, the Regals dropped their first road game of the season. Shonna Christianson got the start in the circle but was relieved by Sooy in the fourth inning. Sooy picked up the loss after going 6.2 innings and walking five down the stretch.
Rapisardi led CLU at the plate with three hits and three RBIs while Lewis and Hunter added two hits. Lewis also scored two runs to lead the team along with Brown.
Cal Lutheran (10-11, 10-5 SCIAC) will return to Hutton Field on Monday, Mar. 14 for a non-conference doubleheader against Augsburg (Minn.) starting at 12:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 4, UR 3
Box Score: UR 9, CLU 8 (10)
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