CLAREMONT, Calif.— The Cal Lutheran softball team grinded out a tough 7-6 win, holding off Pomona-Pitzer in the final innings of game two, on Friday afternoon at Wig Beach Field. The Sagehens won the first game 11-1 and split the series.
The upset gives the Regals two wins in their last three games. CLU is now 10-28 overall and 4-22 in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play. The loss drops Pomona-Pitzer, the No. 2 team in the SCIAC, to 28-9-1 and 20-6
Rachel Barker led the offense and combined for four hits and two RBI during the two-game series. Rilee Grau and Lauren Salvati both collected two hits and 1 RBI in the second game while Kendall Marinesi added three runs with one hit and one RBI during the doubleheader. The second game was won on the mound as Olivia Serrano got the win and Sienna Perez recorded the save.
Game One
The Regals got on the board first, and it was started by Marinesi being hit by a pitch. After one out was made, Marinesi stole second as another Regal struck out for the second out. Marinesi was in scoring position and Barker brought her home with a RBI single to center.
Brittany Workman took to the mound for the Regals and the Sagehens got to her right away. They scored three runs in the bottom of the frame and took the lead. After Pomona-Pitzer scored two more runs off her in the bottom of the second, CLU brought in Sierra Scali to try and silence the Sagehens' bats.
Pomona-Pitzer continued to widen their lead as they scored six runs off Workman, one in the second inning and five in the fourth. The Regals could only muster one more hit over the next four innings and fell to the Sagehens 11-1.
Game Two
The Regals started the second game with first run too as Celeste Ekman singled to left field, scoring Barker. Again, the Sagehens answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning, and two more in the second, and took a 5-1 lead.
The Cal Lutheran bats came alive in the third and fourth innings. The Regals got one run back in the third as Barker singled to right field. In the top of the fourth, Marinesi walked with the bases loaded to tally her RBI, and the scoring was just getting started. Barker, Grau and Salvati all hit RBI singles as CLU took a 7-5 lead to the fifth.
Serrano was on the mound for game two and pitched 5.0 innings. She held the Sagehens to 11 hits with just four earned runs. Pomona-Pitzer got one run back in the bottom of the fifth as they tried to make a comeback.
Perez came in for the final two innings and looked to shut done Pomona-Pitzer. She only gave up one hit, to record the save, preserving the 7-6 win for Serrano
The Regals return home for one final series and for Senior Day. Cal Lutheran will host Occidental on Saturday for a doubleheader at 12 and 2.
Box Score: PP 11, CLU 1; CLU 7, PP 6
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director