THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - On a very windy Saturday afternoon at Hutton Field, the Cal Lutheran softball team won a pair of one-run games, defeating Chapman 4-3 followed by a 3-2 victory to complete the sweep.
To begin the day, Chapman took an early lead with a run in the top of the first inning, but the Regals responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the second. Blake Lewis led of the inning with a walk and Andrea Brackpool followed with a textbook slap for a base hit through the left side. Olivia Leyva laid down a sacrifice bunt and after the first basemen bobbled the ball, reached first to load the bases. Starting pitcher Courtney Sooy thenstepped up and hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Lewis and tie the score 1-1.
The Panthers threatened in the top of the third inning with runners on second and third with one out, but Sooy got out of the jam with a strikeout and a fly out to end the frame.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, Hannah Brown came up clutch with a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle with two strikes to put the Violet and Gold ahead 3-1.
The Regals added another run in the fifth after Amanda Lewis doubled to the left field wall and B. Lewis drove her home with an RBI single to the left center gap.
Sooy continued to pitch her way out of jams, escaping a no-out, bases loaded situation in the top of the sixth inning unscathed and despite allowing two runs in the seventh, was able to close the door and secure the 4-3 victory.
Sooy (10-8) earned the win after throwing her 15th complete game of the season and striking out two.
At the plate, A. Lewis and Jacy Watanabe led the way with two hits apiece while Brown went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. B. Lewis also finished 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored.
In the second game of the afternoon, Nicole White-Madolora got the start and tossed one of her best games of the year, allowing just two earned runs and scattering seven hits while striking out two in 5.2 innings.
The Regals jumped out of the gate with two runs in the first inning, courtesy of Brown and Watanabe, who both singled and came around to score on RBIs from A. Lewis and B. Lewis, respectively.
The Panthers climbed back into the game with the tying run in the top of the sixth, but Monique Ramirez came through with the game-winning RBI single to left field to put CLU ahead for good, 3-2.
Sooy returned to close out the game in the seventh and the Violet and Gold jumped into fourth place with the sweep.
Brown led the offense with three hits and a run scored while A. Lewis and Antonia Rapisardi added two hits apiece.
Cal Lutheran (13-18, 7-13 SCIAC) will head out on the road this Friday, Apr. 22 for a critical doubleheader with Pomona-Pitzer beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 4, CU 3
Box Score: CLU 3, CU 2
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