THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Cal Lutheran softball had a tough outing Saturday as the Regals got swept by the Whittier College Poets at Hutton Field by scores of 11-0 and 7-6.

With the losses, the Regals were knocked out of contention for the fourth and final spot at the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament. Cal Lutheran dropped to 14-22 and 7-17 in the SCIAC. Whittier improved to 23-12-1 and 16-8.

Errors were a problem for the Regals and allowed Whittier to have big innings in both games. The innings that hurt the Regals the most was the fifth in both games. The Poets scored four runs in the fifth inning of the first game and then six runs in the second game. Cal Lutheran couldn't overcome the big innings.  

The Regals got off to a slow start as Whittier's pitching set the tone for game one. Sam Cansanas was on the hill for the Poets. Thanks to the bats, she only had to pitch five innings.

The Whittier offense scored a run in every inning. They scored two in the top of the first, second and fourth. The Poets also scored one in the second and had a 7-0 lead heading to the fifth. Whittier then scored four runs in the fifth to push the lead to 11. Cansanas took care of the rest and recorded a no-hitter. Brittany Workman took the loss and dropped to 4-8.

In game two, Cal Lutheran's offense was out in full force. The Poets took the lead as they scored in the top of the second. The Regals bounced right back in the third. Kendall Marinesi tripled as Olivia Leyva came home to tie the game.

Whittier did the rest of its damage in the fifth as they hit a grand slam and recorded six runs in total. Cal Lutheran needed to answer the call again.

The rally started in the bottom of the fifth as Marinesi double to left center. She scored Jacy Watanabe and Makenna Pellerin and the lead was 7-3. The Regals got another run back in the sixth. With runners on second and third, Pellerin doubled down the left field line and Abbigael Howard raced home. The run made it 7-4.

Cal Lutheran continued to climb back into the game. Howard made it a one-run game as she hit a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh. She scored Mikaela Mayhew and Sienna Perez. The Regals had the tying run on second with one out. Cal Lutheran couldn't convert the final run and Whittier snuck away with the win. Olivia Serrano had the loss in the game and dropped to 5-8.

Cal Lutheran looks to bounce back Friday as the Regals travel to Los Angeles to take on Occidental in a doubleheader at 2 and 4 p.m.

Box Score: WC 11, CLU 0 (5 innings); WC 7, CLU 6
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director