Sofball Extends Win Streak to Seven Games

Whittier College softball won four games in two days to extend their winning streak to seven games and improve their record to 18-12 this season.  Molly Yriate '11 has a hit in each game of the winning streak that includes five SCIAC victories.

The Poets faced Occidental College on April 11 and won both legs of that doubleheader 9-2 and 10-2, respectively.  Yriate led the way in game one, going 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and three RBI.  Amanda Brown '09 had a two-run double.  Dyan Acevedo '09 went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.  Sheryl Fukuda '08 was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored.  Kourtney Zilbert '11 and Kellie Canida '11 each had a pair of hits and a run scored.  Vicky Ovieda '09 added an RBI double.  Nicole Acevedo '09 also drove in a run.  Nikole Gandara '09 earned the win after scattering seven hits in seven innings.  She allowed two runs, none earned, and struck out seven batters.

In game two against the Tigers, Brown paced the offense, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, three RBI and a run scored.  Amanda Carrasco '10 hit a two-run blast and Yriate went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and the game-ending solo home run in the sixth inning.  Fukuda and Dyan Acevedo went 2-for-3; Fukuda drove in a run and Acevedo scored twice.  Ovieda and Canida each drove in a run.  The Poets got a strong outing from pitcher Deena Arenas '08.  She pitched all six innings, not allowing an earned run on six hits and she struck out five. 

The two SCIAC wins over Occidental make the Poets 8-8 in conference play this season.  They are currently in fourth place, holding the final spot in the SCIAC tournament.

On April 12, the Poets played two against the University of Dallas and won both games 6-2 and 7-2.  In the first game, Carrasco hit her team-leading sixth home run, a three-run shot in a six-run third inning that decided the game.  She finished the game 2-for-2.  Ovieda and Jen Luders '11 each had RBI doubles.  Heather Dady '11 earned the win for the Poets, allowing seven hits and one earned run in seven innings with five strike outs.

In the nightcap, Yriate went 4-for-4 with an RBI.  She was the only Poet with multiple hits.  Zilbert and Brown each drove in two runs with doubles.  Ovieda and Canida also drove in runs.  Gandara allowed just one earned run on eight hits in seven innings pitched.  She struck out seven batters in the win.

The Poets take their seven-game win streak back into SCIAC play on April 18, when they face off with third place Pomona-Pitzer.  First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 2:00pm at Palmer Softball Stadium.