THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Cal Lutheran softball got back in the win column on Monday afternoon, sweeping Susquehanna 9-2 and 9-1.
GAME ONE: CAL LUTHERAN 9, SUSQUEHANNA 2
The River Hawks came out to play, starting a two-out rally in the top of the first to score one run with the bases loaded. First-year pitcher
Olivia Oergel (1-0) made her debut on the mound, getting a backwards K to end the inning with little damage.
The Regals' bats were on fire from start as
Olivia Vargas got things going with a single, followed by a Dani Diaz long ball over the center field wall.
With Cal Lutheran up by two, a 1-2-3 inning from Oergel got the Regals back on offense where
Mia Antonino and
Brooke DeSmet would both single. Vargas brought each of them home and extended the lead to 4-0 with a base hit to left for her second of the day.
Jessica Waters went deep to open up the third before the River Hawks tacked on their second and final run of the game in the top of the fourth. The Regals ran away with the game in the bottom half, featuring another single in the gap for Antonino, a
Nadia Collins bunt, and a two-RBI double from DeSmet.
A pitching change for Susquehanna proved to be no match for Cal Lutheran, as Vargas ripped a double and Waters recorded a sac fly to bring the score to 9-2.
Kalli Strahm and
Rylee Carrillo were called from the bullpen to close out the game, quickly producing a clean 6-4-3 double play and a fly out in the top of the fifth.
Oergel got the win for the Regals in her first career start, going four innings with three strikeouts. Vargas impressed at the plate, batting 4-4 with two RBI while DeSmet, Waters, and Antonino also had a multi-hit game.
GAME TWO: CAL LUTHERAN 9, SUSQUEHANNA 1 (5 INN.)
Cal Lutheran picked up its third run-rule victory of the year in game two, highlighted by Diaz in the batter's box and
Ava Tepesano (1-0) in the circle.
Diaz blasted a two-run double in the first, followed by a Waters over the fence no-doubter to give the Regals an early 4-0 lead.
Later on in the fourth, Vargas smacked a single through the right side to score two more, and a River Hawk throwing error brought the game to 7-0. Another monster double for Diaz would score Collins and DeSmet to secure the mercy-rule win.
Tepesano recorded her first career win in the nightcap, pitching 4.2 innings with four strikeouts and two hits. Diaz was 3-3 with a career-high four RBI.
UP NEXT
The sweep brings the Regals to 5-1 on the season, which is the best start for the program since 2014. They are back in action and looking to tie that record on Wednesday, as they host University of Pittsburgh at Bradford for a doubleheader beginning at 12 PM.
