THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.— Junior Meghan Henry shutout Antelope Valley over 4.2 innings and senior Lexie Findley and freshman Natalie Winokur provided three RBI each as Cal Lutheran softball won game one of a doubleheader with Antelope Valley, 9-5, on Wednesday afternoon at Hutton Field.
It was the home opener for the Regals as they split the series with the Pioneers. UAV took down CLU in the second game, 10-2, in five innings.
Cal Lutheran opened the 2020 season with a home-away doubleheader with Antelope Valley and is 2-2 to start the year. The Pioneers are also at .500 and are 5-5.
Game 1
Sophomore Sienna Perez got the call in the first game and a rough start had the Regals down 5-1 heading to the bottom of the third. Henry came into relieve Perez and got the Regals out of a jam.
It was up to the offense to answer and CLU did just that. Freshman Natalie Luna started the inning with a single to right and then senior Kendall Marinesi drew a walk. With runners on the corners, Findley singled down the left field line, scoring Marinesi. Senior Lauren Salvati was up next and kept the bats rolling as another single got the bases loaded.
Freshman Natalie Winokur came up to bat and was ready for the moment as she delivered a bases clearing double to tie the score at 5.
Over the next four innings, Henry only allowed five hits as she shut down the Pioneers. The Cal Lutheran offense did the rest as Marinesi, and fellow seniors Catherine Slabaugh, Celeste Ekman and Salvati each added a RBI. Henry earned the win as the Regals took game one 9-5.
Findley and Winokur led the offense with 3 RBI each. Marinesi matched Findley with three hits and added three runs.
Game Two
The Pioneers jumped all over the Regals in the second game of the double header and scored five runs in the second and third innings to take a commanding 10-0 lead.
Cal Lutheran broke through and scored in the bottom of the fifth, but it was too late. Luna and Marinesi recorded RBI as the Regals avoided the shut out.
Seniors Olivia Serrano and Brittany Workman and sophomore Taryn Faull all saw action on the mound. Serrano took the loss and dropped to 1-1 as the Regals fell 10-2 in five innings.
Up next for the Regals is a six-game road stretch in Texas. On Sunday, Cal Lutheran gets their first test against Division III opponents as the Regals have a doubleheader with Schreiner at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. PST.
Box Score: CLU 9, UAV 5; UAV 10, CLU 2
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
