REDLAND, Calif. — Katherine Kibbe pitched a four-hit complete game to carry the University of La Verne softball team past Redlands, 2-1, in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday at the Field of Dreams. The Leopards lost the second game, 3-2.
La Verne improves to 15-9 overall and 11-3 in the SCIAC. Redlands falls to 18-10 and 8-8.
Kibbe did not give up an earned run while walking just one and fanning two. She goes to 9-4 on the season.
The Leopards broke through first in a pitchers' duel that saw the teams combine fir just two hits through the first five innings. Sierra Kendricks led off the top of the fifth with a double to deep left and advanced to third on a wild pitch to start a rally. Redlands pitcher Lindsey Mifsud got the next two batters to ground out but Rachel Ogata came through with a clutch single to give the Leopards a 1-0 lead.
La Verne added to the lead the next inning on an RBI infield single by Mackenzie Dutton.
Kibbe limited the Bulldogs to just one run through the first five innings but ran into a little trouble in the late innings. Redlands put the leadoff batter on an error to start the sixth and Vicki King hit a two-out single to cut the deficit to 2-1. Ursyla Baumgarten followed with a single to put two runners in scoring position but Kibbe got Hayley Romo to escape the jam.
The Bulldogs led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and Kibbe issued a two-out walk to AJ Carrasco to put the go ahead run on. But the La Verne senior once again got the final batter to pop out to seal the win.
In the second game, the Bulldogs got out to an early 3-0 lead on a Vicki King sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third and a two-run homer by Mika Imoto in the fourth.
La Verne got on the board with a two-run, bases-loaded single by Mackenzie Dutton but that was all they would get. The Leopards managed to get at least a hit in each of the final two innings, but couldn't cash them in.
The Leopards go back on the road tomorrow for a doubleheader at Chapman. First game starts at noon.