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Softball shuts out Bulldogs in five

La Verne senior shortstop Rebecca Ireland attempts to get Redlands sophomore centerfielder AJ Carrasco out at second base in the top of the fifth inning, but does not get the call. The Leopards pounced through five innings past the Bulldogs for a, 9-0 mercy rule win in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Campus West. The team dropped game one, 14-7./ photo by Jolene Nacapuy
La Verne senior shortstop Rebecca Ireland attempts to get Redlands sophomore centerfielder AJ Carrasco out at second base in the top of the fifth inning, but does not get the call. The Leopards pounced through five innings past the Bulldogs for a, 9-0 mercy rule win in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Campus West. The team dropped game one, 14-7. / photo by Jolene Nacapuy

Lauren Crumbaker
Staff Writer

After losing the first game to the Redlands Bulldogs, 14-7, the Leopards came back with a vengeance to split and win the second game with they mercy rule in the fifth inning, 9-0, Saturday at Campus West.

This is the teams’ eighth game, where the mercy rule took place.

“To me there is three elements that equal winning,” head coach Julie Smith said.

“Solid pitching on the mound, timely hitting and a solid defense,” she said.

Both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning, when the Leopards exploded for runs.

Junior third baseman Mackenzie Dutton singled to left field and scored junior center outfielder Raeleen Tellez.

Schiff followed with a home run to right field for a double RBI, scoring Dutton.

Senior left outfielder BreeAnna De La Rosa then hit a homer to left field, scoring junior pitcher Katy Kibbe, as the Leopards were up, 5-0.

The Leopards did not stop there.

“It was honestly just a see the ball and hit it,” Schiff said. “It just worked and the ball just went out,” she said.

The Bulldogs were unable to answer back, as the Leopards continued to take control of the game.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, La Verne kept the momentum going, as they scored four more runs.

Dutton led off the fifth inning with a double to left field. Schiff followed with a single down the left line, advancing her to second.

Schiff went 2- for-3 with one home run and two RBIs.

With an error by Redlands pitcher sophomore Lauren Henson, Dutton was able to score, 6-0, La Verne.

The Leopards continued to pounce all over the Bulldogs, as freshman second baseman Kimberly Dilda hit a two-RBI double walk off to end the game with the mercy rule in the fifth inning.

Kibbe struck out two and gave up five hits to win her sixth game of the season.

She went 1-for-3 with no RBIs. In game one of the doubleheader, the Bulldogs defeated the Leopards, 14-7.

La Verne started out strong in the first inning, getting four hits and two walks to score five runs.

The Bulldogs answered right back and got 12 runs in the last three innings to win the game.

“We need to start getting together as a team all throughout the day,” Kibbe said.

“As opposed to one game at a time,” she said.

The Leopards have split the last five doubleheaders they have played in.

They have created a pattern of losing one of the games, but coming back to win the other.

“I think our team notoriously battle and answer back nicely,” Smith said.

“If our backs are against the wall, we have the pride and really stand up to it,” she said.

This pattern is something that the team has struggled with, but continue to work on to improve and win both games with practice and motivation.

The team also dropped both games, 12-1 and 11-8, in a non-conference doubleheader against Williams College Wednesday at Campus West.

The Leopards trailed early in both games and were unable to find an offensive rhythm and answer back, as Williams College took both.

La Verne currently sits in fourth place in the SCIAC with a record of 12-14 overall and 7-7 in conference.

The Leopards will take on No. 15 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in a doubleheader starting at noon Saturday at Athena Field.

Lauren Crumbaker can be reached at lauren.crumbaker@laverne.edu.

Lauren Crumbaker
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