ORANGE, Calif. - On the final day of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) regular season and through rain drops at El Camino Real Park, the Cal Lutheran softball team bounced back from a 7-0 loss in game one to claim a 12-2, five inning, victory over Chapman in the season finale.
A two-hit shutout in which Christina Hunter and Olivia Leyva recorded hits, was quickly put in the rearview mirror as the Regals pounced all over the Panthers in the second game.
The senior trio of Shonna Christianson, Liz Mertel and Ryanna Morua stepped up during their final respective league appearance, combining to go 5-for-5 with three walks, five RBIs and six runs while Christianson (7-7) tossed a complete game, striking out three.
Although the Panthers took an early 1-0 lead capitalizing on a Regals error, the Violet and Gold were quick to answer back the next inning.
Morua started things in the top of the frame with a single to left field followed by back-to-back walks from Christianson and Hunter. Leyva then hit into a fielder's choice and a throwing error by the Panthers shortstop allowed Morua to score. A sacrifice fly from Blake Lewis would push Christianson cross the plate to give the Regals the 2-1 lead.
Chapman responded with a tying run in the bottom of the third on consecutive hits from the Panthers.
The top of the fourth inning saw much offensive activity for CLU as the visiting squad forced a pair of CU pitching changes and batted around as they broke things open with 10 runs.
Mertel led off in the frame with a triple down the right field line and Brown followed with an RBI single to center field. Cal Lutheran took advantage of back-to-back errors by the Panthers defense on sacrifice bunts from Antonia Rapisardi and Morua. After Morua swiped second, Rapisardi came in to score on a passed ball and the senior second baseman moved up 60 feet. Christianson connected for an RBI double and after Leyva drew a walk B. Lewis kept things going with a two-bagger to deep center field that drove in both base runners. Once the second out was recorded, Mertel was issued a free base and Brown followed suit with her second double of the inning, adding another RBI when pinch runner Mikaela Mayhew hit home. Rapisardi reached on an infield hit to load the bases and Morua exhibited patience at the plate, walking for an RBI. Christianson lifted her second double of the inning to deep left field to score Brown and Rapisardi giving the Regals a comfortable 12-2 lead heading into the bottom of the inning.
Christianson stepped back into the circle to retire six of the next eight batters she faced, remaining unscathed.
The hope is that a strong finish in game two gives Cal Lutheran important momentum going into postseason play as the fourth seed in the 2015 SCIAC Postseason Tournament on Friday and Saturday, May 1-2. The tournament champion will earn the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Playoffs.
Cal Lutheran (19-19, 15-13 SCIAC) will first face off with top-seeded and 2015 SCIAC Champion Whittier while Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and La Verne have locked up the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively. A complete tournament schedule will be available early next week.
Box Score: CLU 12, CU 2 - 5 innings
Box Score: CU 7, CLU 0
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