THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – After a quiet, tightly contested softball series opener, Cal Lutheran and La Verne wasted no time turning Saturday's doubleheader into an offensive showcase, resulting in a split on the day.
The two teams combined for more hits in the first two innings of game one than they did in the entirety of Friday's matchup, setting the tone for a much different day at Hutton Field.
GAME ONE: LA VERNE 6, CAL LUTHERAN 3
The Leopards came out swinging in the opener, plating three runs in the first inning and adding two more in the second to build an early cushion. Despite the quick start, the Regals still showed life at the plate.
Reyna Perez sparked the offense with an RBI triple in the first, while
Sofia Aviles drove in a run and later scored on an error in the third to cut the deficit to 5-3.
The Regals tallied 10 hits in the game, led by multi-hit performances from Perez,
Samantha Swerdloff,
Jessica Waters, and
Brooke Strahm, but were unable to deliver the timely hit needed to close the gap. La Verne added an insurance run in the fifth and held off any late push to secure the 6-3 win.
GAME TWO: CAL LUTHERAN 9, LA VERNE 4
After falling behind 4-3 through four innings, the Regals flipped the momentum with a relentless fifth-inning surge in the nightcap. Taking advantage of timely hits and defensive miscues, Cal Lu erupted for five runs in the frame to break the game open.
Waters continued her strong day with a two-RBI double in the first, while
Mia Reveles delivered a solo home run in the third to keep the Regals within striking distance.
Riley Osborne added key contributions late, driving in two runs, and
Brooke Strahm chipped in an RBI as part of the decisive fifth inning rally.
In the circle,
Joie Steinkamp provided a steady presence in relief, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings and allowing just two hits to shut the door on the Leos and earn the win.
UP NEXT
Cal Lutheran will now enjoy a brief break in the schedule before returning to action on Friday, April 24, at Whittier. The Regals will then host the Poets the following day for a doubleheader at Hutton Field, where they will celebrate Senior Day.
