THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Cal Lutheran softball team showed no mercy as it opened up the 2025 season, sweeping the Grace University Sun Bears 11-0 and 10-0 on Saturday afternoon.

After the doubleheader, Head Coach Kecia Davis expressed her excitement about getting some wins under the team's belt. "These were our first games and I'm proud of how the girls stayed focused and loud no matter the score," said Davis. "They did a really good job at staying in it."

GAME ONE: Cal Lutheran 11, Grace 0 (5 innings)
Ashlyn Flinchum, the 2024 SCIAC Pitcher of the Year, was back like she never left, opening game one with an easy one-two-three inning.

Nadia Collins got the offense going with a single, followed by an Abby Strong bunt and an Olivia Vargas walk to quickly load the bases. Two Sun Bear errors and a sac fly from Jessica Waters would bring everybody home, giving the Regals an early 4-0 lead

Back on the mound for the second, Flinchum would fan the first Grace batter to record the 100th strikeout of her Cal Lu career. She only needed two Ks to reach the milestone, as she racked up an impressive 98 as a junior transfer last year.

The Regals extended their lead to 9-0 in the bottom of the inning, beginning with back-to-back singles and a Vargas sac fly. Anna Chavez ripped a double off the wall, followed by three more Regal base hits that would bring  Mia Antonino to the plate. Her RBI double down the left field line would score Hanna Booth to put the game out of reach for the Sun Bears. 

As if Cal Lutheran wasn't having enough fun, Chavez would add the first homerun of the season with a two-run shot, making it an 11-run game.

Mia Cortez and Rylee Carrillo came in to relieve the Flinchum-Booth battery, making their first career appearances in the circle and behind the plate. Cortez held the Sun Bears to just one hit and added a strikeout in the final two innings of the game.

GAME TWO: Cal Lutheran 10, Grace 0 (5 innings)
Ally Forbell got the ball in game two, also kicking things off with a one-two-three first.

In the bottom half, Sofia Aviles recorded her first collegiate hit, followed up by another walk for Vargas, to bring Waters to the batter's box. She crushed a three-run homer to get the Regals on the board, marking the ninth four-bagger of her young career.

Two more scoreless innings from Forbell brought Cal Lutheran to the bottom of the third, where three straight walks and back-to-back RBI gap shots by Dani Diaz and Booth would get the offense rolling once more. Brooke Strahm and Reyna Perez both added sac flies to put the Regals up by nine. 

Kalli Strahm and Cassie Jay came in for Forbell and Booth, both adding to the Regals' bullpen debuts. K. Strahm tallied two strikeouts and allowed three hits in two innings of work.

In the last Cal Lu at bats of the day, Diaz singled and Olivia Oergel closed things out with an RBI triple for a memorable first career hit.

UP NEXT
The Regals are starting the year at 2-0 for the first time since 2018, and they look to stay in the win column when they host George Fox next weekend. The doubleheader is set to begin at 12 PM on Sunday, March 2.