Lauren Reed
Staff Writer

After a surprising split with Whittier on Friday afternoon, the Leopards softball team looked to bounce back on Saturday against Pomona-Pitzer.

Ending the season on the road, the Leopards fought hard winning both games against Pitzer.

“We weren’t going to let what happened against Whittier happen again,” said junior pitcher Karina Ortiz.

“We had to keep our heads in both games taking the same competitive spirit from the first game to the second game and that’s what we did and that’s why we were victorious,” Ortiz said, as she kept the defense strong in the first game after splitting time in the game with pitcher Mary Olson.

After winning Friday’s first game, 18-4, then losing, 7-5, in the second game against Whittier, the Leopards knew they needed to improve certain aspects of their game so the could be successful in both games on Saturday.

There was definite improvement with the leadership of the team with both junior Jodi Lindsay and senior Suzy Riker stepping up and scoring four of the five runs in Saturday’s first game.

For the Leopards in the third inning, the momentum started off with sophomore outfielder Kari Granger hitting her second home run of the weekend making the score, 1-1.

Lindsay and Riker both capitalized off singles which eventually drove in runs, making the score 3-1.

Both defenses remained strong throughout the next couple of innings until third baseman for Pitzer, Christine Calderon, hit a home run making the score, 3-2.

“We knew as long as we kept the team camaraderie high we would walk away with a victory,” said junior utility player Trisha McCormick.

In the top of the seventh inning, Lindsay and Riker stepped up once again scoring on a triple by Riker making the score, 5-2.

The Leopards went onto to win the game by the same result.

Keeping their heads high, the Leopards won the next game with a whopping score of 12-3.

“It was a good way to end of the season,” Lindsay said.

“Throughout the ups and downs of the season, it was good to end the season victorious.”

The Leopards (23-17, 16-8) finished the 2007 season tied for second with Cal Lutheran in SCIAC.

Lauren Reed can be reached at lreed@ulv.edu.