WHITTIER, Calif. - The first ever Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Postseason Tournament appearance for the Cal Lutheran softball team proved to be a tale of two walk-offs on a blistering Friday afternoon at Palmer Field. In the first game of the day, the No. 1 seeded Whittier Poets edged the No. 4 seeded Regals 4-2 with a walk-off homerun, but the Regals produced a walk-off of their own with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over La Verne in a crucial elimination game.
Game one was a tightly contested pitcher's duel that pitted Courtney Sooy against Whittier ace Samantha Blum.
The Poets got on the board in the top of the first inning, but the Regals bounced back for two in the top of the second to take the lead. Amanda Lewis ripped a double down the left field line to get the inning going and came around to score on an RBI ground ball from Hannah Brown. Ryanna Morua followed with an RBI single to drive home Liz Mertel to give CLU a 2-1 advantage.
The bats fell quiet from both teams for the next three frames until the Poets tied the game up in the sixth inning and Mercedez Cundiff hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Despite losing to Whittier via walk-off for the third time this season, the Regals brushed off the heartbreaker to face La Verne in an elimination game.
The Leopards scored runs in the second and sixth inning to take a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. Sooy walked to lead off the inning and Christina Hunter reached on an error from the third basemen. With one out, Blake Lewis grounded to second to move both runners in scoring position. Down to their final out, A. Lewis came through in the clutch with a two-RBI double to score Sooy and Hunter and tie the game. Mertel followed with a base hit over the left fielder's head to score A. Lewis easily and win the game 3-2.
Sooy (12-13), who threw a complete game against Whittier, came right back for another seven innings to earn the win. She scattered six hits while striking out two and allowing just two runs.
"I am completely impressed by Courtney Sooy's presence on the mound and her composure," head coach Debby Day said after the game. "She kept throwing strikes to keep us in both games and kept the hitters off balance."
At the plate, the Regals were led by A. Lewis, Mertel and Brown, who each had two hits against the Leopards while B. Lewis and Hunter also came through with base hits in the game.
"We talked to our kids all season about playing as a team," Day said. "We don't have any superstars, but today was the perfect example of playing like a team and it's rewarding as a coach to see multiple kids come through in the clutch like that."
With the win, CLU eclipsed the 20-win mark in a season for the first time since 2009.
Cal Lutheran (20-20) will play Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in an elimination game tomorrow, May 2 at Whittier starting at 11:00 a.m. The winner of that game will go up against Whittier in the tournament final at 1:30 p.m. and again at 4:00 p.m. if necessary.
Box Score: WC 4, CLU 2
Box Score: CLU 3, LV 2
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