Pomona-Pitzer softball began their season last Saturday with mixed results against Vanguard University. The Sagehens bounced back from a difficult first game to split the doubleheader and make it out of the day with an encouraging 1-1 overall record.
The first game proved difficult for the Sagehens when a promising 1-0 lead in the first inning off an RBI single by Caitlyn Hynes PO ’14 quickly turned sour. The uphill battle began for the Hens when a two-run home run in the second was followed up by a leadoff solo shot in the third. Unfortunately, early scoring proved too much of a momentum shift for the Sagehens, and, unable to stop the Vanguard bats, the Hens went on to lose 10-1 in a game that was shortened to five innings.
But P-P didn’t stay down for long.
Determined to salvage the rest of opening day, the ladies of P-P softball came out charging in the second contest of the afternoon. The scoring for the Hens came early in the bottom of the third inning. The rally began with a one-out single by left fielder Ashley Morello PZ ’15 with third baseman Jessica Liu PO ’15 on deck. Liu continued the excitement by putting down a sacrifice bunt that proved too much for the Vanguard defense and resulted in an error to put runners on first and second with only one out.
Then, with two outs in the inning and runners still on base, catcher Emily Glass PO ’15 ripped an RBI double down the left field line to score the game’s first run. Not to be outdone, Hynes followed the RBI by crushing a ball into deep right center field for a double to push the Sagehen lead to 3-0.
Vanguard came back swinging in the top of the fourth and got two of the runs back, but pitcher Fiona Riley PO ’15 was able to end the inning before any further damage could be done. Throughout the contest, Riley played fearlessly, having to work out of her biggest jam in the fifth after a leadoff triple from Vanguard put the tying run on third. She threw a complete game and guided her team to a 3-2 victory.
Overall, the events of the day foreshadow great things for the rest of the season.
“Our mentality is all there. We know we can win any game against any opponent. We just have to go out there and do it,” Liu said after the important victory in the second game.
Outfielder Leah Bleichner PO ’15 shared Liu’s positive outlook.
“I think this season is going to go really well. We have a young team, but it’s a really, really good team,” she said.
P-P takes the field again this afternoon in a doubleheader against La Sierra from noon to 2 p.m.