REDLANDS, Calif. — The University of La Verne softball team swept the Redlands Bulldogs on the road Saturday afternoon to win their third straight SCIAC Championships and 10th in program history.
Sienna Kendricks hit a two-run homer in the opener to give the Leopards the outright title. The Leopards swept Whittier College yesterday to clinch at least a share of the title. La Verne beat the Bulldogs 4-1 in the ninth inning in game two to complete the sweep.
Season Impact: La Verne finishes the regular season 26-14 and 21-7 in SCIAC play. The Leopards will host the four-team SCIAC Postseason Tournament from May 4-6 as the top seed.
More at Stake: With one major goal now accomplished, the Leopards set their eyes on winning the SCIAC Postseason Tournament for the second year in a row to earn the conference's automatic qualifying berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Tournament
For the second game in a row, the Leopards' power at the plate scored them a close win. Justice Borden got on base after getting hit by a pitch. Kendricks stepped up next and homed to give her squad the 2-0 lead.
Whittier put one run on the board in the bottom half of the inning but that was as close as they would get.
Jiana Rojo improved her record in the circle to 10-6, striking out four and allowing just three hits in seven innings of work.
Carly Condon went 2-3 at the plate.
Game Two: La Verne 4, Redlands 1
Borden played the hero for La Verne for the second game in a row, hitting a two-run home run that scored Michelle Deguzman to put the Leopards up 3-1 in the ninth.
Carly Condon bunted in Rachel Ogata later in the inning to extend the Leopards' lead.
Tauney Mack hit her first career home run in the second to give her squad the opening 1-0 lead.
Elisa Ponce went six innings in her start, striking out six while giving up just two hits.
Ashley Caro stepped in for three innings of relief to pick up her third win of the year.