THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Cal Lutheran softball played its last Saturday home games of the season this past weekend, coming up short in both games of the doubleheader against Whittier on Senior Day.
With the pair of losses, the Regals move to 14-20 overall and 6-12 in SCIAC play, leaving Cal Lu with a steep and likely out of reach climb into the four-team conference tournament field with just one series remaining.
Before first pitch, the program recognized its lone senior
Ally Forbell for her contributions to the program, as the Regals celebrated their graduating leader in one of her final appearances at William Hutton Field.
GAME ONE: WHITTIER 7, CAL LUTHERAN 6
After surrendering two early runs in the opener, Cal Lutheran answered immediately with a three-run first inning, highlighted by RBI efforts from
Danielle Diaz,
Sofia Aviles, and
Samantha Swerdloff to take an early lead.
The back-and-forth battle continued throughout, with the Poets reclaiming the advantage before the Regals surged ahead once again.
A two-run single from
Riley Gonzalez in the fourth gave Cal Lu a 5-4 edge, and the Regals added another in the sixth on an RBI single from
Reyna Perez to carry a 6-4 lead into the final frame.
Whittier had the last word, however, as a leadoff home run cut the deficit to one before a two-run double flipped the game in the seventh, handing the Regals a 7-6 loss.
Swerdloff and Perez each recorded multi-hit efforts, while
Jessica Waters and Diaz also contributed key hits in the setback.
GAME TWO: WHITTIER 15, CAL LUTHERAN 4 (5 INN.)
Whittier struck early in the nightcap and never let up, capitalizing on early opportunities and a big third inning to create separation. The Poets plated 12 runs across the first three innings, putting the Regals in an early hole they could not recover from.
CLU showed brief life in the second inning, stringing together timely hits, including an RBI single from
Brooke Strahm and a two-run double from
Olivia Oergel to cut into the deficit. Waters later added an RBI knock in the fifth, but the momentum never fully shifted as Whittier continued to apply pressure offensively.
Strahm led the Regals with a perfect 2-for-2 performance at the plate, while Oergel drove in two runs in the loss.
UP NEXT
Cal Lutheran will look to regroup in its last series of the regular season next weekend against Occidental. The Regals return for their final home game on Friday at 3 p.m. before closing out the year with a doubleheader on the road Saturday.
