THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Cal Lutheran dropped a pair of tightly contested games to the University of Chicago on Friday afternoon at Hutton Field, falling 6-5 in game one and 5-4 in nine innings in game two.
In both contests, the Regals (1-6, 0-3 SCIAC) showed flashes offensively and held leads late but were unable to execute in key moments as the Maroons completed the sweep.
GAME ONE: CHICAGO 6, CAL LUTHERAN 5
Cal Lu jumped out early in the opener.
Mia Reveles sparked the first inning with a single and aggressive baserunning, eventually scoring on an error.
Sofia Aviles followed with an RBI single up the middle to give the Regals a 2-0 advantage.
Chicago chipped away with single runs in the second and third before breaking through in the fourth. A four-run frame, highlighted by timely base hits and a sacrifice fly, turned a tie game into a 6-2 Maroons lead.
In the fifth,
Danielle Diaz and Aviles each delivered RBI singles to cut the deficit to 6-4. CLU threatened again in the seventh, loading the bases before
Riley Gonzalez drove in a run with a single through the left side to make it 6-5. The tying run advanced into scoring position, but Chicago was able to secure the final out and escape.
Reveles finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Aviles went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Diaz added two hits as the Regals out-hit the Maroons 10-9 but stranded 11 runners.
GAME TWO: CHICAGO 5, CAL LUTHERAN 4 (9 INN.)
The nightcap followed a similar script: strong pitching, early hits, and a late swing in momentum.
The Purple & Gold struck first in the opening inning when Diaz lifted a sacrifice fly to score Reveles. The Regals added another in the fifth on
Reyna Perez's sacrifice fly, extending the lead to 2-0.
Chicago answered in the sixth with back-to-back RBI hits to tie the game, but Cal Lutheran responded immediately. In the bottom half,
Samantha Swerdloff drove in a run with a single to right, and
Kalli Strahm followed with an RBI fielder's choice to reclaim a 4-2 edge.
The Maroons rallied again in the seventh, stringing together three hits to even the score at 4-4.
After a scoreless eighth, Chicago pushed across the go-ahead run in the ninth on an RBI single to right center. The Regals brought the tying run into scoring position in the bottom half but could not find the equalizer.
Cal Lutheran matched Chicago with 10 hits in game two. Diaz recorded two hits, Swerdloff added two, and Reveles doubled and scored. Strahm went the distance in the circle, allowing five runs over 8.2 innings.
Despite multiple opportunities throughout the day, the Regals were unable to come up with the big hit in key situations, leaving 11 runners on base in each game.
UP NEXT
Cal Lutheran returns to action tomorrow, February 28, hosting Puget Sound for another doubleheader at Hutton Field. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
