THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Ashlynn Flinchum provided another dominant pitching performance, recording her fourth complete game in her last four starts to lead Cal Lutheran softball to a 5-0 win in game one of its doubleheader against La Verne on Friday afternoon.
GAME ONE: Regals 5, Leopards 0
After pitching 7.0 innings of scoreless ball, Flinchum (W) has held opponents scoreless in her last 15.2 innings of work. The Regals (7-8. 4-1 SCIAC) backed Flinchum with solid defense throughout game one. Finchum got out of a runners-on-second-and-third jam in the top of the third inning after shortstop Emily Blank cut down the Leopards (8-15, 2-5 SCIAC) baserunner at home, who was trying to score on a ball in the infield.
Using the momentum, the Regals got on the board during the home half of the third inning. Olivia Vargas hit a two-out single to score Ahlyssa Guzman and Reyna Perez, giving the Regals a 2-0 lead.
Kali Strahm pinch ran for Casey Edwards, who reached via a single in the fourth inning, and used great baserunning to work her way around the bags and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The Regals added two more insurance runs in the fifth, and Flinchum sat down the Leopards in order in the last three innings and struck out the side in the seventh to get the win.
THE NUMBERS
- Flinchum (5-1): 7.0 IP, 2 H, BB, 0 ER, 7 K
- Nadia Collins: 2-2, 2B, R, SB
- Perez: 1-3, 2 R, SB
- Vargas: 2-3, 2 RBI
- Blank: 1-3, 2B
- Guzman: 1-2, R
GAME TWO: Regals 1, Leopards 10 (F/6)
The Leopards ultimately turned the tide in game two despite the Regals keeping within reach for the first half of the contest. The Leopards took a 2-0 lead after three innings off of Regals starter Ava Tesepano (L).
Perez picked up where she left off in game one, singling in the third inning for her second hit of the game and third of the day. She then stole second, and Vargas drove her in with a double for her team-leading eighth RBI of the season to get the Regals on the board.
The Leopards took the upper hand in the late innings, scoring eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings to end the game in the sixth 10-1.
THE NUMBERS
- Tepesano (0-2): 2.1 IP, 6 H, BB, 2 R (1 earned)
- Brooke DeSmet: 2.0 IP, 3 H, BB, 3 ER
- Ally Forbell: 1.2 IP, 5 H, BB, 5 R (2 earned)
- Perez: 2-3, R, SB
- Vargas: 2-3, 2B, RBI
UP NEXT
The Regals will take on Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in a three-game series with the Regals hosting game one on Friday, April 5 at 3 p.m.