REDLANDS, Calif. – The Cal Lutheran softball team delivered its biggest win of the season on Saturday afternoon, upsetting No. 7 Redlands with a 5-2 victory in game one of the doubleheader before falling in the series finale at The Field of Dreams.
The Regals' game-one win marked a statement performance against the nationally ranked Bulldogs, fueled by timely power at the plate and a complete-game effort in the circle from
Kalli Strahm.
GAME ONE: CAL LUTHERAN 5, NO. 7 REDLANDS 2
Cal Lu wasted no time jumping on the Bulldogs, launching two home runs in the opening inning to seize early momentum.
Jessica Waters started the surge with a solo blast to right field, giving the Regals a quick 1-0 lead. After
Danielle Diaz was hit by a pitch later in the frame,
Sofia Aviles followed with a two-run homer to left field to push the advantage to 3-0.
Redlands answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning, but CLU responded again in the second.
Samantha Swerdloff and
Brooke Strahm reached to set up Waters, who delivered once more with a two-RBI single to extend the lead to 5-1.
The Bulldogs added a sacrifice fly in the third to cut the deficit to 5-2, but Strahm took control from there.
The Regals' left-hander turned in a dominant complete-game performance, scattering eight hits while allowing just two runs and striking out one across seven innings to secure the upset victory.
Waters led the offense with a stellar 3-for-3 game, and Strahm also helped her cause with a triple in her two-way efforts.
GAME TWO: NO. 7 REDLANDS 16, CAL LUTHERAN 8
Game two turned into a back-and-forth slugfest, with the Regals battling back from an early deficit to briefly take the lead.
Redlands jumped ahead 6-0 after two innings, but Cal Lu answered in the third.
Mia Reveles tripled and later stole home, and Waters launched a two-run homer to left to cut the deficit to 6-3.
The Regals continued to chip away in the fourth when Reveles' aggressive baserunning helped manufacture another run, trimming the margin to 6-4.
Cal Lutheran completed the comeback in the fifth as Waters reached on an error before Diaz crushed a two-run home run to right field, tying the game at 6-6.
The Regals then moved in front in the sixth. Reveles scored on a Redlands error and Diaz delivered again with an RBI single to give Cal Lutheran an 8-6 lead.
However, the Bulldogs responded with a decisive rally in the bottom half, plating 10 runs to regain control and secure the series finale.
Diaz led the Regals offensively in game two, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.
Reyna Perez finished a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while Waters added a homer and two RBIs. Reveles scored twice and contributed a triple and two stolen bases.
