REDLANDS, Calif. - The longest Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) road trip of the season was worth it for the Cal Lutheran softball team as the Regals routed the Redlands Bulldogs 8-0 and won 6-4 at the Field of Dreams today to complete a four-game season sweep.
CLU def. UR 8-0
Long ball was the name of the game in the first contest of the day as junior third baseman Olivia Leyva nearly hit for a homerun cycle with a solo homer in the top of the fifth, a two-run homerun, which scored Jacy Watanabe, in the third, and a three-run round-tripper in the sixth that plated Watanabe and Catherine Slabaugh. Antonia Rapisardi and Amanda Lewis got in on the long ball action with solo shots in the sixth and seventh, respectively. CLU collected 11 hits with Leyva having a career game, going 3-for-4 with six RBIs and three runs while Watanabe was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs and a stolen base. Courtney Sooy (7-6) tossed a one-hit, complete game shutout, striking out two as she faced just five batters over the minimum. CLU played flawless defense with Lewis and Makenna Pellerin each recording seven putouts. While homeruns were the difference for CLU, Lewis made sure Redlands did not join the fun, robbing a homerun with runners on in the fourth inning.
CLU def. UR 6-4
While game two was much closer, the Regals controlled things on the diamond, taking a 3-0 lead after the first half inning. Leyva again produced for the visiting squad, going 2-for-4 with another RBI and two more runs scored. She was the only CLU player with a multi-hit game as the remaining six hits came from as many different bats and five players recorded an RBI with Mikaela Mayhew driving in two in the first frame. Although Redlands posted a pair in the bottom of the first, adding one more in the third to tie things up, Cal Lutheran used a three-run sixth to regain the lead. Consecutive doubles from Leyva, Sooy and Lewis led to two runs and later in the inning Rapisardi lifted a sacrifice fly to plate the sixth and final run of the game for the Violet and Gold. Olivia Serrano got the start and handed the ball to Brittany Workman after 3.0 innings. Workman (3-2) was credited with the win after throwing 4.0 innings. Each surrendered five hits and Serrano was tagged for three runs while Workman allowed one. In the field, the middle infield represented 11 touches as Mayhew had four putouts and two assists and Rapisardi had three assists and two putouts.
Redlands (13-21, 9-13 SCIAC) fell into sixth place in the conference standings after today. Summer Smith had the only hit in game one and Amanda Ang was 4-for-4 with two runs in game two. Lindsay Mifsud (9-8) and Nicole Stanzione (2-5) each suffered losses in the circle.
Cal Lutheran (13-15, 10-10) moved to .500 in league play and climbed into a third place tie with Whittier in the standings after the victories today. The Regals return to action on Friday, April 21 when CLU hosts conference-leading La Verne for two beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Hutton Field.
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